Label printing apparatus and wordprocessor

ABSTRACT

A label printing apparatus includes a liquid crystal display unit for displaying an input character string and a message corresponding to each operation stage, a printing unit for printing a character string on each label, a storage unit for storing each data, and a CPU for performing each processing and control. Label information specifying sizes and the like of various types of labels, sheet numbers corresponding to the label information, character size information defining character sizes, and the like are stored in the storage unit. The CPU specifies label information corresponding to the sheet number and selects a maximum printable character size from a character size table as an initial value on the basis of a printing area. The character size is changed so that the horizontal length of an input character string falls within the printing area. The character size is further changed so that all the characters of the character string extending in all the lines fall within the printing area. An optimal character size is finally selected, and actual printing is performed on each label using this character size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention mainly relates to a label printing apparatus forprinting information on a label sheet on which a large number of labelshaving the standardized layout and shape, and the like are adhered.

2. Related Background Art

Identical index labels are often adhered to a large number of samplesin, e.g., an exhibition. Strong demand has arisen for suitable filingusing index labels corresponding to the kinds of information indiversification of information. In addition, the same information may beshared by a plurality of persons at a plurality of locations.Conventional labels of this type are handwritten to result in cumbersomeoperations and poor appearance.

In order to solve the above problems, there is provided a printingapparatus capable of efficiently printing the same contents at the upperand lower positions of a ruled label by properly selecting a printingdirection (Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-178,948).

There is also provided a label printing apparatus for setting an inputcharacter count and an input line count to fall within one label andcalculating a label count as an integer on one label sheet (JapanesePatent Laid-Open No. 61-175722).

There is further provided a label printer for automatically calculatinga character size to a full-height, full-width size or a full-height,half-width size, so that characters can be printed within apredetermined label width (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-189276).

There is further provided a label printer capable of inputting aprinting format of a label as a single slip and printing information onlabels having different sizes (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-158072).

In the device of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 1-178948,processing for properly printing information on one index label isdescribed in detail, but no description is made for an operation fordetecting the positions and sizes of a plurality of index labels and acontrol method of printing information on each label.

The prior arts described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 61-175722,63-189276, and 62-158072 are associated with the way of properlyprinting information on one label, but not with the way of printinginformation on a large number of labels arranged on a label sheet.

In a conventional label printing apparatus, information is printed oneach individual label with a character size designated beforehand.However, since the kinds of labels are several hundreds, the charactersize must be selected in accordance with the size of each individuallabel. In addition, the character size must be changed in accordancewith the character count and line count of characters to be printed. Anoperation for setting these conditions is so cumbersome as to performprinting in accordance with the desired layout of a user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a label printingapparatus capable of printing a character string in a proper state on alarge number of labels adhered on a label sheet.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a labelprinting apparatus capable of eliminating cumbersome character sizesetup required for properly performing printing on a desired label.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided alabel printing apparatus for inputting a desired character string withkeys and printing the input character string in units of labels arrangedon a label sheet, comprising a storage means and a processing means.

The storage means stores label information for specifying a size, alayout position, and the like of each of the labels arranged on thelabel sheet, identification codes corresponding to various pieces oflabel information, and character size information defining a pluralityof character sizes as character sizes subjected to printing.

The processing means comprises:

a first processing means for specifying label information correspondingto an input identification code;

a second processing means for discriminating a printing area of thelabel from the specified label information, comparing a vertical lengthof the printing area with a horizontal length of the printing area todetermine a smaller one of the vertical and horizontal lengths as areference length, and selecting a maximum character size falling withina square area having one end as the reference length from the charactersize information;

a third processing means for calculating a horizontal length of agenerated character string when the horizontal length of the selectedcharacter size is defined as a reference and every time an inputcharacter count is increased/decreased; and

a fourth processing means for always comparing the horizontal length ofthe generated character string with the horizontal length of theprinting area of the label, selecting a character size smaller than acharacter size of the character string from the character sizeinformation when the horizontal length of the character string is largerthan that of the printing area, and changing all character sizes to thissmall character size.

Of the first to fourth processing means, the third processing meanscalculates the horizontal length of the generated character string inunits of lines when the number of characters input to each line isincreased/decreased, and

the fourth processing means can select a character size smaller than acharacter size of the character string and change the character sizes ofall lines to this small character size when the fourth processing meansalways compares the horizontal length of the generated character stringwith the horizontal length of the printing area of the label in units oflines, and a line in which the horizontal length of the character stringis larger than that of the printing area is present.

When this processing is executed in the third and fourth processingmeans, a fifth processing means may be provided.

The fifth processing means adds the vertical lengths of the charactersizes determined by the fourth processing means to obtain an overalllength of all the lines, compares the overall length with the verticallength of the printing area of the label, selects a character sizesmaller than the character string when the overall length is larger thanthe vertical length of the printing area, and changes the charactersizes of all the lines to this selected small character size.

The label sheet used in the label printing apparatus having the abovearrangement basically has standard vertical and horizontal lengths oflabels arranged on the label sheet and standard layout positions oflabels on the sheet in accordance with the type of label sheet.Identification codes are assigned to the standards, respectively.

Note that the any labels can be used if they can be separated from thelabel sheet. For example, labels may be detachably adhered on the labelsheet, may be cut from the label sheet, or the like.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda wordprocessor, comprising:

a keyboard having keys assigned with characters, symbols, and numbers,cursor shift keys, a conversion key, and a confirmation key;

a display means for displaying data input from the keyboard;

a storage means for storing a plurality of symbols or numbers in dividedgroups;

a forty-ninth processing means for displaying on the display means asymbol or number assigned to a depressed key as non-confirmed data whena key assigned with the symbol or number of the keyboard is depressed;

a fiftieth processing means for reading out all data of the same groupas that of the non-confirmed data and displaying all the data as aselected data group upon depression of the conversion key; and

a fifty-first processing means for confirming desired data as input datareplacing the desired data with the non-confirmed data, and displayingthe non-confirmed data as the desired data on the display means afterthe cursor shift keys are operated to move a cursor to the desired datain the selected data group displayed on the display means and theconfirmation key is depressed.

The present invention will become more fully understood from thedetailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawingswhich are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not to beconsidered as limiting the present invention.

Further scope of applicability of the present invention will becomeapparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, itshould be understood that the detailed description and specificexamples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, aregiven by way of illustration only, since various changes andmodifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art form this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the outer appearance of a labelprinting apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the internal mechanism of the labelprinting apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the internal mechanism of the labelprinting apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the key layout of the label printingapparatus;

FIG. 5 is a view showing an arrangement of a sheet sensor;

FIG. 6 is a control block diagram of the label printing apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the positional relationship of labels on alabel sheet;

FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing an operation sequence for a start screen;

FIG. 9 is a flow chart for explaining initial value setup of charactersizes in automatic character size setup;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart for explaining automatic character size setup;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are views for explaining a method of setting initialvalues of character sizes in correspondence with label shapes;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart for explaining automatic setup of a characterspacing and a line spacing;

FIG. 13 is a schematic plan view for explaining the relationship betweenlengths (e.g., a character spacing and a line spacing) of the respectiveportions of a label subjected to printing and the symbols representingthese portions;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing processing when an input character orline count exceeds the size of the printing area;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart showing processing when an input line countexceeds the size of the printing area upon a line feed;

FIGS. 16A, 16B, and 16C are views for explaining messages displayed whenline overflow occurs;

FIG. 17 is a view for explaining a state in which an overflow mark isdisplayed within a character string;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing character size change processing of acharacter string;

FIG. 19 is a view showing the contents of a character size setup table;

FIGS. 20A to 20F are views showing display contents in character sizechange processing;

FIGS. 21A to 21E are views showing display contents in character sizechange processing;

FIGS. 22A to 22E are views showing display contents in character sizechange processing;

FIG. 23 is a flow chart showing the flow of image display processing;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart showing the flow of image display processing;

FIG. 25 is a flow chart showing the flow of image display processing;

FIG. 26 is a flow chart showing the flow of image display processing;

FIGS. 27A to 27D are views showing the concept showing the contents ofimage display processing;

FIGS. 28A to 28C are views showing the concept showing the contents ofimage display processing;

FIGS. 29A to 29C are views showing the concept showing the contents ofimage display processing;

FIGS. 30A to 30C are views showing the concept showing the contents ofimage display processing;

FIGS. 31A to 31C are views showing the concept showing the contents ofimage display processing;

FIG. 32 is a flow chart showing input processing of a character stringto be printed on a tack index label;

FIG. 33 is a flow chart showing input processing of the character stringprinted on the tack index label;

FIG. 34 is a view for explaining the display of a selection screen;

FIG. 35 is a flow chart showing input processing of a character stringto be printed on a cassette label;

FIGS. 36A and 36B are views for explaining the display of a selectionscreen;

FIG. 37 is a flow chart showing label sheet feed control in printingprocessing;

FIG. 38 is a schematic perspective view of a sheet sensor and a paperfeed roller portion as the main part in feed control;

FIG. 39 is a plan view showing the positional relationship of labelswith a label sheet;

FIG. 40 is a flow chart showing printing start position setup;

FIG. 41 is a flow chart showing printing execution processing;

FIG. 42 is a flow chart showing initial setup when printing iscontinuously performed on the printed label sheet;

FIG. 43 is a view showing the general concept of character labelregistration processing and character label read processing;

FIG. 44 is a flow chart showing character label registration processing;

FIG. 45 is a flow chart showing registration file formation processing;

FIG. 46 is a flow chart showing character label read processing;

FIG. 47 is a flow chart showing registration file retrieval processing;

FIG. 48 is a flow chart showing processing for comparing retrievalcharacters with registration characters;

FIGS. 49A and 49B are views showing the outer appearances of labelshapes;

FIGS. 50A and 50B are views showing the outer appearances of labelshapes;

FIGS. 51A and 51B are views showing the outer appearances of labelshapes;

FIG. 52 is a flow chart showing processing for inputting a characterstring and registering it in a storage unit;

FIG. 53 is a flow chart showing processing for reading out the characterstring registered in the storage unit;

FIG. 54 is a flow chart showing processing for reading out the characterstring registered in the storage unit;

FIG. 55 is a block diagram showing an arrangement of a wordprocessoraccording to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 56 is a flow chart showing the processing contents of a retrievalprogram;

FIG. 57 is a flow chart showing the contents of symbol retrievalprocessing of this embodiment;

FIGS. 58A and 58B are a perspective view showing the outer appearance ofthe wordprocessor and a plan view of the display unit, respectively;

FIG. 59 is a view showing group formation of a conversion table; and

FIG. 60 is a view showing group formation of the conversion table.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First Embodiment

FIGS. 1 to 4 show the outer appearance and the internal mechanism of alabel printing apparatus 1. The label printing apparatus (to be referredto as an apparatus thereinafter) 1 is an apparatus for performingprinting on a large number of labels 4a regularly arranged on a labelsheet 4. The apparatus 1 comprises an upper half 2 and a lower half 3.An insertion port 5 for the label sheet 4 is formed between the upperand lower halves 2 and 3.

A large number of keys 6 which can be used to input characters or thelike are arranged in the upper half 2 of the apparatus 1. A liquiddisplay unit 7 consisting of a liquid crystal panel for displaying apredetermined character count, a line count, or an input characterstring is arranged above the keys 6. The screen of the liquid displayunit 7 is scrolled in four directions when the character and line countsexceed the size of the screen. The keys include character keys such asthe alphabet, function keys such as "function" (FC in FIG. 4), "cancel"(CA/LC in FIG. 4), "conversion" (CV in FIG. 4), "execution" (EX/RT inFIG. 4), and "print" (PT in FIG. 4) keys, and cursor keys as arrow keysrepresenting four directions. Further, as shown in FIG. 4, some of thealphabet keys respectively have special functions executed by depressingtogether with the depression of the function key. The functions arereferred by symbols shown in on the upper right side of in the top ofthe key. For example "RG" shows the region determination, "SZ" shows thechanging size, "CS" shows the character string, etc. The contents of thekeys are marked on their key tops.

The insertion port 5 and a feed path 11 extending backward from theinsertion port 5 are formed in the lower half 3. A guide roller 9 forguiding the inserted label sheet 4 is disposed on the upper surface ofthe feed path 11. Three paper feed rollers 8 driven and rotated by asheet feed motor 16 are disposed behind the guide roller 9 to feed theinserted label sheet 4. A printing unit 20 is arranged behind the paperfeed rollers 8.

A guide side wall 18 is formed on one side, e.g., the left side of theinsertion port 5 and the feed path 11. The label sheet 4 is insertedwith the left side being guided along the side wall 18. The apparatus 1serves as a mechanism for performing printing with reference to theleading end of the left side (i.e., the front left corner portion) ofthe label sheet 4. The left side of the label sheet 4 abuts against theside wall 18 to position the label sheet 4.

A sheet sensor 19 of a photointerrupter or the like constituted by apair of a light-emitting element 19a and a light-receiving element 19bon the upper and lower surfaces is arranged on the side wall 18 at thedownstream position of the feed path of the feed rollers 9 so as todetect whether feeding is accurately performed, as shown in FIG. 5. Thatis, while the fed sheet is interposed between the light-emitting element19a and the light-receiving element 19b and light from thelight-emitting element 19a is received by the light-receiving element19b, the sheet sensor 19 recognizes that the left side of the labelsheet is in contact with the side wall 18. In this case, the sheetsensor 19 determines that an appropriate feed state is set.

The lower portion of the printing unit 20 is threadably engaged with aspiral shaft 12 extending in a direction perpendicular to the insertiondirection of the label sheet 4, and rotation of a carriage motor 14 istransmitted to the spiral shaft 12 through a gear train 15. The printingunit 20 reciprocates along the rotating spiral shaft 12. A rack 13 issupported in the upper portion of the printing unit 20 so as to beparallel to the spiral shaft 12. The teeth of the rack 13 are formed atthe lower portion so as to oppose the printing unit 20, so that a gearin the printing unit 20 is meshed with the rack 13. A thermal head 28consisting of a dot array capable of printing one character extends fromthe lower portion of the printing unit 20. A rubber platen 17 isdisposed in the lower half 3 at the lower portion of the thermal head28. The printing unit 20 also serves as a cassette holder for mounting aribbon cassette (not shown) of an ink ribbon. The printing unit 20includes a take-up shaft 25 for taking up the ink ribbon.

The liquid crystal display unit 7 can display selection screens of aninput character string, an edited character string, an identificationcode, character string information read out from a storage unit 31, andother information.

The control block diagram of the label printing apparatus will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 6.

The apparatus 1 comprises a central processing unit (to be referred toas a CPU hereinafter) 30 for controlling the overall operation of theapparatus, and the storage unit 31 constituted by a ROM, a RAM, and thelike.

The CPU 30 is connected to a head dive unit 36 for driving to bring thethermal head 28 into contact with or separate it from the label sheetand outputting a character signal, a carriage motor drive unit 37 forcontrolling to drive the carriage motor 14, a sheet feed motor driveunit 38 for controlling to drive the sheet feed motor 16 forsynchronously driving the paper feed rollers 8 and paper dischargerollers 23, and a display drive unit 39 for driving the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7.

The CPU 30 has an internal counter for counting the number of sheets anda timer for synchronizing sheet feeding. The CPU 30 receives inputinformation from a key input unit 6' and a detection signal from thesheet sensor 19, outputs control signals to the corresponding circuitsections, and systematically controls a character input, characterediting, selection of the type of label sheet, display operations, andprinting operations (to be described later).

The CPU 30 monitors the detection signal from the sheet sensor 19. TheCPU 30 determines whether insertion and feeding of the label sheet 4 areaccurately performed in accordance with whether a detection signalrepresenting the front left corner of the label sheet 4 is input. At thesame time, the CPU 30 indirectly measures the position of the labelsheet during feeding in accordance with rotation pulses of the sheetfeed motor upon generation of the detection signal or with timemanagement.

The storage unit 31 stores a program for controlling the overalloperations (e.g., editing and printing) of the apparatus, a kana/kanjiconversion dictionary memory, label information representing the layoutpositions of labels arranged on each type of label sheet, and thevertical and horizontal sizes of the label, a sheet number in the formof an identification code for specifying the type of label sheet, andthe following character size table (Table 1):

                  TABLE 1                                                         ______________________________________                                        (vertical × horizontal; unit: dot)                                                           Horizontally                                                                              Vertically                                            Square Char-                                                                              Elongated   Elongated                                    Size Classi-                                                                           acter (6    Character (5                                                                              Character (5                                 fication Types)      Types)      Types)                                       ______________________________________                                        SS       16 × 15                                                                             16 × 30                                                                             32 × 15                                S        22 × 22                                                                             22 × 44                                                                             44 × 22                                M        32 × 30                                                                             44 × 66                                                                             66 × 44                                L        44 × 44                                                                             44 × 88                                                                             88 × 44                                LL       66 × 66                                                                             66 × 88                                                                             88 × 66                                3L       88 × 88                                                                             --          --                                           ______________________________________                                    

Table 1 shows character sizes ranging from the SS size to the 3L size.The types of printable label sheets are of several hundreds in the labelprinting apparatus of this type. A large number of character sizessubjected to printing are required. The horizontally elongatedcharacters and the vertically elongated characters can be designated inaddition to the square characters. In this manner, the selection jobscan be facilitated by selecting character sizes using sizeclassification symbols.

Various shapes of label sheets for a general quadrangular label, a ruledlabel, a tack index label, a box label, and a cassette label areavailable. In addition, there are various adhesion positions on labelsheets, which are respectively standardized. Referring to FIG. 6, anexternal input/output device such as an extension cartridge representedas an auxiliary storage unit 40 is connected to the apparatus in FIG. 6.It is possible to register new types of label sheets and non-standardformats when the types of label sheets are to be increased, or printingis to be performed on a desired non-standard label sheet.

FIG. 7 shows a relationship between a label sheet and labels. Labels R₁,R₂, . . . having the same size are regularly adhered on a label sheet 4at predetermined intervals. The label positions on the label sheet 4 aredesignated as 1, 2, 3, . . . in the column direction, and A, B, C, . . .in the row direction. Note that the numbers or letters representing thelabel positions are preferably marked on the label sheet 4.

The sheet number is selected by inputting an identification codeconsisting of one character or two characters (including a number),thereby facilitating the selection job. A table (not shown) in whichsheet numbers are stored in this embodiment represents sheet numbers aslabel sizes. The table stores sizes with reference to the cornerposition as the leading end of the left side of the label sheet 4 whichis detected by the sheet sensor 19. The sizes are determined by datarequired to specify label positions on a label sheet from the horizontaland vertical lengths of a label sheet, the shape of a label, thevertical and horizontal lengths of a label, vertical and horizontalintervals between the labels, and the number of labels on one labelsheet. If only position data of the printing start point with referenceto the front end of the left side of the label sheet is used in place ofthe above lengths and intervals, the memory capacity can be reduced. Thesizes are designated in units of millimeters (mm). In this embodiment,the sizes are coded to reduce the memory capacity. The CPU 30 calculatesa printing position, i.e., the label position on the basis of the storedsize data of the designated sheet number (identification code) to bedescribed later.

The table which stores the sheet numbers includes cut sizes. The cutsizes define blank sizes of the peripheral label portions which are notsubjected to printing. First, a system for actually measuring a labelposition and performing printing is not employed, but a simple systemfor controlling all positions with reference to the corner position ofthe label sheet is employed. Information can be property printed withineach label even if a small feed error of the sheet by the paper feedrollers 8 and the like occurs. Second, the same effect as describedabove can be obtained when the label size is stored in a size slightlysmaller than the actual size. In this case, an image character (on thescreen) does not coincide with the actually printed character, resultingin inconvenience.

Various operations for inputting characters in the apparatus 1 will bedescribed below.

The basic sequence for a start screen will be described with referenceto a flow chart in FIG. 8.

When a power switch 6a is turned on (#2), the RAM in the storage unit 31is initialized, the printing unit 20 is set to the initial position,hardware is initialized, and the built-in battery is checked (#4).

The initial screen including selection menus of "label formation" and"address book" is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#6).The cursor keys are used to shift the cursor to the position of thedesired item, and the "execution" key is depressed, thereby obtainingthe next work screen. The CPU 30 determines which item is selected anddesignated (#8). If the selection menu of "label formation" is selected,necessary initialization is executed (#12). During this operation, amessage such as "Please wait" is displayed on the screen. On the otherhand, the selection menu of "address book" is selected, the currentscreen is switched to a work screen for registering, changing, andretrieving a name, a telephone number, and an address (#10).

When the selection menu of "label formation" is selected and the aboveinitialization is completed, selection menus of "new formation" and"continuation" are displayed on the screen (#14). The CPU 30 determineswhich selection menu is selected and designated (#16). If the selectionmenu of "continuation" is selected, the contents of the previous workare displayed on the screen (#18). If a character string has alreadybeen formed, a sheet number or the like is displayed. If a post card hasalready been formed, a message indicating this is displayed. When the"execution" key is depressed (#20), the previous work screen isdisplayed, so that the user can input a character (#22). In this manner,since the previous work contents are stored in the RAM of the storageunit 31, the interrupted work can be easily restarted.

On the other hand, when the selection menu of "new formation" isselected ("YES" in #16), the screen is switched to a screen fordesignating a label sheet so as to form a new character string (#24).When a desired sheet number (identification code) is input ("YES" in#26), the CPU determines whether this sheet number is present in thetable in the ROM in the storage unit 31 (#28). If the designated sheetnumber is present, the screen is switched to a character input screen(#30). If not, a message such as "This sheet is not registered" isdisplayed for three seconds, and the previous designation screen (#24)is restored.

On the other hand, when the user does not know a registered sheetnumber, he depresses the "execution" key without entering any input("NO" in both #26 and #32 and "YES" in #34), and the screen is switchedto a file load screen (#36). At this time, when a character string to beloaded is selected, this character string information is displayed onthe screen together with its sheet number.

When the selection menu of "post card" is selected on the screen in #24("YES" in #32), the screen is switched to a screen of "directiondesignation of sentence". When the user designates the direction of asentence and depresses the "execution" key, the screen is switched to anormal character input screen (#38). Since a character input methodafter #22, #30, #36, and #38 is almost the same as that of aconventional wordprocessor, a detailed description thereof will beomitted.

After the initial conditions are set as described above, a desiredcharacter string is formed on the character input screen. In thisapparatus 1, the character size is automatically set in accordance withthe numbers of characters and lines of an input character string.Automatic setup of this character size is to automatically set the sizeof characters which can be properly printed within the label inaccordance with the character string input on the character inputscreen. The character size is selected from those in Table 1.

The automatic setup processing of the character size will be describedwith reference to flow charts in FIGS. 9 and 10.

The initial value of the character size is set. In the initial setupdescribed above, a label to be used is specified (#102), and a printingarea in the label is determined on the basis of this label information.The vertical length of the printing area is compared with the horizontallength of the printing area (#104). By this comparison, the shorterlength is selected. If the horizontal length is smaller than thevertical length, as shown in FIG. 11A, a square area S having thehorizontal length l as one side is assumed (#106). However, when thevertical size is shorter than the horizontal size, as shown in FIG. 11B,a square area S having the vertical length l as one side is assumed(#108). The character size corresponding to the character size of amaximum square character falling within the square area S is selectedfrom Table 1. The selected character size is set as the initial value(#110).

After the initial value of the character size is determined, the CPU 30waits for a character (including a symbol and the like) input. Everytime the number of input characters is increased or decreased by one,the horizontal length of the formed character string is calculated. Whenthe character string extends in a plurality of lines, the horizontallength of each line is calculated (#202). The horizontal length of thecharacter string is compared with the horizontal length of the setprinting area in units of lines to determine whether the formedcharacter string can be printed within the horizontal length of the setlabel (#204). If the horizontal length of the character string is largerthan the horizontal length of the printing area, a character sizesmaller than the set character size by one size is selected fromTable 1. The character sizes of all the lines are changed to this newcharacter size (#206). Thereafter, the operations in #202 and #204 arerepeated. In this manner, an appropriate character size is determinedwith reference to the horizontal length of each line of the characterstring and the horizontal length of the printing area.

All the vertical lengths of the lines are added on the basis of thedetermined character size to obtain an overall vertical length (#208).The overall vertical length is compared with the vertical length of theprinting area. The CPU 30 determines whether the formed character stringcan be printed within the overall vertical length of the set label(#210). If the overall vertical length of the formed character string islarger than the vertical length of the label, a character size smallerthan the determined character size by one size is selected from Table 1,and the character sizes of all the lines are changed to this newcharacter size (#212). Thereafter, operations in #208 and #210 arerepeated. In this manner, the maximum character size capable of printingthe character string within the printing area is finally set. Note thateach calculation expression is stored in the ROM of the storage unit 31in advance, but the calculation result is utilized using a storedconversion table.

The same character size is set for all the lines within the formedcharacter string. Inconvenience caused when different character sizesare set for all lines having different numbers of characters can besolved. When the character size is to be switched from the S size to theSS size smaller than the S size in Table 1, the character size ischanged to the SS size of the horizontally elongated character withoutbeing unconditionally changed.

This automatic character size setup is always performed when the inputcharacter or line state is changed such that the character size alreadyinput is changed, that the character appearance attribute already inputis changed, or that a line feed or deletion of a line feed is performed.

Each character size can be manually set to a specific size in advance oras needed. In this case, in #202, the horizontal length of the manuallyset character is added to the horizontal length of each automaticallyset character to calculate the length of the character string in unitsof lines. In #208, characters each having the maximum vertical size areextracted from all the lines and are added to each other.

Second Embodiment

As described above, although the character size is automatically set, aspacing between characters to be printed, i.e., a character spacing canbe automatically set constant in an apparatus 1 of this embodiment(character spacing assigning means).

Automatic character spacing setup will be described with reference to aflow chart in FIG. 12. Symbols used in this flow chart are defined belowwith reference to FIG. 13. FIG. 13 shows one label 4a on whichcharacters having different sizes are printed in hatched portions.

l_(n) : a spacing between the end portion of the printing area and themost leading or trailing portion on the nth line

k_(n) : a character spacing on the nth line

q: a spacing between the end portion of the printing area and acharacter having a maximum vertical length on the uppermost or lowermostline

p: a line spacing (i.e., a spacing with reference to a character havinga maximum vertical length)

Referring to FIG. 12, when automatic character spacing setup is to beperformed ("YES" in #302), the horizontal lengths of the inputcharacters are added to each other to obtain an overall horizontallength of each line (#304). At this time, when the automatically setcharacter is mixed with the manually set character, the horizontallengths of both the automatically and manually set characters are addedto obtain a sum. The operation in #304 is the same as that in #202 forautomatic character size setup. For this reason, every time the numberof input characters is increased or decreased by one or the charactersize is changed, the operation in #304 is performed.

On the other hand, the horizontal length of the printing area is alreadyobtained in the flow (FIG. 9). The sum of the length of the characters,which is calculated in #304, is subtracted from the horizontal length ofthe printing area (#306). Therefore, a horizontal length A of the blankarea formed in the printing area is obtained.

The value of the length A is equally assigned between the characters. Inthis case, the value of the length A is divided by a value obtained byadding 1 to the character count, so that the blank areas each having thesame length as the character spacing are formed at the leading andtrailing portions of the character string. As a result, a quotient B anda remainder C are obtained (#308), and the quotient B is obtained as acharacter spacing k_(n) of the target (#310). If the remainder C isobtained, it is divided into halves which are assigned as characterspacings (l_(n)) formed at the leading and trailing portions of thecharacter string (#312). If any other line subjected to characterspacing setup is present (i.e., "NO" in #314), control is shifted to theline subjected to character spacing setup, and the operations in #304 to#312 are repeated.

As described above, the character spacings of all the lines in thehorizontal direction are equally set ("YES" in #314). In the apparatus1, if a character string extending in a plurality of lines is presentwithin the printing area ("YES" in #316), the line spacings can also beequally assigned (line spacing assigning means).

A character size having a maximum vertical length is extracted in unitsof lines. The extracted vertical lengths of the character sizes areadded to each other to obtain a sum of the vertical lengths of all thelines (#318). The operation in #318 is the same as that in #208 forautomatic character size setup. For this reason, when the maximumcharacter size of each line is changed, i.e., when a line feed ordeletion of a line feed is performed or an input character or line stateis changed, the operation in #318 is always performed.

The sum of the vertical lengths of all the lines, which is calculated in#318, is subtracted from the vertical length of the printing area.Therefore, a vertical length D of a blank area formed within theprinting area is obtained (#320).

The value of the length D is equally assigned between the lines. In thiscase, the value of the length D is divided by a value obtained by adding1 to the line count to obtain a blank area having the same width as thatof the line spacing above the uppermost line or below the lowermostline. As a result, a quotient E and a remainder F are obtained (#322).The quotient is determined as a line spacing p (#324). If the remainderF is present, it is divided into halves which are assigned to linespacings q formed above the uppermost line and below the lowermost line(#326).

The apparatus 1 can automatically set the character and line spacings asdescribed above. However, specific character and line spacings can bemanually set by the user. In manual setup, either the character spacingor line spacing is manually set, and the remaining spacing may beautomatically set. In the flow chart in FIG. 12, the operation in #328is performed to manually set the character spacing. The operation in#330 is performed to manually set the line spacing. In this case, theblank calculation described above is not performed.

Processing for equally assigning the character spacing in #306 to #314and processing for equally assigning the line spacing in #318 to #326are performed every time a key input representing an end of characterediting for one label is detected, i.e., every time the "print" key isdepressed, every time a key for displaying an image of the layout ofinput characters is depressed during editing, or every time an operationfor registering the formed character string is performed.

An apparatus 1 shown in this embodiment can perform printing even on anon-standardized label sheet if this sheet can be physically insertedfrom an insertion port 5. If label information is accurately registered,the character size can be automatically set on a free-size label sheet(printing sheet), the label information (e.g., a label sheet size) ofwhich is set and registered by the user himself, in accordance with theflow chart.

In this embodiment, automatic character spacing setup in units of lineshas been exemplified. However, as another processing method, a minimumcharacter spacing set within the printing area can be set as thecharacter spacing of all the lines, and only the spacing l_(n) with theend of the printing area may be determined every line. In this case, thecharacter spacing k_(n) on each line is predetermined, so that the printbecomes symmetrical about the central vertical line.

Note that when automatic character spacing setup is canceled andprinting is performed, printing is performed at a predeterminedcharacter spacing which is arbitrarily set. In this case, the printedcharacters are aligned at the left margin. Similarly, when automaticline spacing setup is canceled, printing is performed at a predeterminedline spacing which is arbitrarily set, and the printed characters arealigned at the upper margin.

The processing for equally assigning the character spacing and theprocessing for equally assigning the line spacing are executed everytime a key input representing an end of character editing for one labelis detected. However, the above processing is performed every time thenumber of input characters or lines is increased or decreased or thecharacter size is changed as in automatic character size setup.

Third Embodiment

An apparatus 1 always calculates a printable line count on the basis ofa label size and a character size. When the user inputs characters oredits a character string on lines exceeding the printable line count, amessage indicating this is displayed, thereby inhibiting operations suchas a character input or a line feed (line overflow determining means).In addition, in the apparatus 1, overflow characters which cannot fallwithin one line during current editing (input) are added to the sameline after an overflow mark, so that the user can know that thecharacters do not fall within one line (character string overflowdetermining means). Therefore, the overflow characters within one linewill not be automatically fed to the next line against the will of theuser.

Processing performed when the number of input characters or linesexceeds the printable character count per line or the printable linecount will be described with reference to a flow chart in FIG. 14.

A CPU 30 determines whether input characters can be printed within thevertical length of the printing area of a label currently designated.

Upon reception of a character input from the user, the automatically setcharacter sizes on the line during the current input operation (editing)and the already edited line are changed to the minimum character size inTable 1 (#402). The maximum vertical character sizes of the lines exceptfor the current line are extracted and added to obtain an overallvertical length of all the lines (#404) because characters havingarbitrary character sizes may be present in the lines. The overalllength obtained in #404 is added to the vertical length of the currentlyinput character size (#406). If the currently input character is anautomatically set character, it is the minimum character size. However,if the currently input character is an arbitrarily set character, thevertical length of the arbitrarily set character is added to the overalllength obtained in #404. The resultant overall vertical length iscompared with the vertical length of the set printing area to determinewhether the input characters can be printed within the printing area(#408). If the overall vertical length is larger than the verticallength of the printing area ("NO" in #408), the CPU 30 determines thatprinting within the printing area is impossible, and a messagerepresenting the line overflow is displayed on a liquid crystal displayunit 7 for 3 seconds (#410). The screen returns to the editing displayscreen (#412).

A line overflow message shown in FIG. 16A is displayed when the numberof characters is larger than that of the printing area due to the largecharacter size. A line overflow message shown in FIG. 16B is displayedwhen the size of the confirmed character is changed or the charactersoverflow the line because of the presence of a frame or underline. Whena space capable of printing characters in the printing area isdetermined ("YES" in #408), a non-confirmed character string beforeconversion and confirmation is stored as character information in astorage unit 31 (#414).

Various editing operations are performed such that input characters areconverted into characters having a predetermined font such as Courier,Roman, etc., and an input character is converted into a character havinga predetermined size, thereby sequentially confirming the inputcharacters. Besides, in the apparatus need in Japan, the conversion alsomay includes a conversion from hirakana to kanji. In this case, everytime the input character is confirmed, the operations in #402 to #408are repeated.

In this editing operation, every time the character is confirmed, it isalso determined whether the confirmed character string falls within oneline during editing. If the character size is of an automatically setcharacter, since the minimum character size is set in #402, thecharacter size is the overall horizontal length of characters eachhaving the minimum character size. However, when a character having anarbitrarily set character size is included, the horizontal length ofthis character is added. This value is accumulated every time an inputcharacter is confirmed (#416). Thereafter, the accumulated characterlength is compared with the horizontal length of the printing area(#418). If the accumulated character string length is larger than thehorizontal length of the printing area, overflow characters which cannotfall within one line are included in the character string duringediting. These overflow characters are sent to an overflow memory areain the storage unit 31 one by one from the right end of the characterstring within the editing line, so that the overflow characters seem tobe erased from the input character string (#420). This processing isrepeated until "YES" is obtained in #418. If "YES" in #418, only aninput enable character string is present in the input character string,and an overflow portion of the character string is separately stored inthe overflow memory area.

If such an overflow character is not present, "NO" is determined in#422, and the character string during editing is displayed on theediting screen (#412).

On the other hand, when an overflow character is present, "YES" isdetermined in #422, the character string portion stored in the overflowmemory area and the character string falling within the one line aredisplayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#424). As shown in FIG.17, after the character string falling within the printing area, e.g.,"new-business", an overflow mark 50 is displayed in a repeatedflickering state of inverse display. A non-confirmed overflow characterstring such as "promotion-department" as a word is displayed to theright of the overflow mark 50. That is, the confirmed printablecharacters are located to the left of the overflow mark 50, and thenon-confirmed overflow character string to the right of the overflowmark 50 is displayed.

In this manner, the character string which is located on the right sideof the overflow mark 50 and does not fall within the printing area isinformed to the user. This overflow mark 50 is displayed when the inputcharacter size or character appearance attribute is changed or thehorizontal length of the input character string exceeds the printingarea. When this overflow mark 50 is displayed, the user changes the sizeof the confirmed characters or a line feed is performed to feed thecharacter string located on the right side of the overflow mark 50 tothe next line. Therefore, a desired character string which falls withinthe printing area is formed.

Processing performed when the character or line count exceeds theprintable horizontal or vertical length has been described above.However, a flow chart for performing a line feed from the lowest line toform a new line is shown in FIG. 15.

In this case, the automatically set character size is changed to theminimum character size in Table 1 (#502), and maximum character sizes ofall the lines in the vertical direction are extracted, and the extractedvertical lengths are added (#504). The vertical length of the minimumcharacter size is added to the vertical length obtained in #504 toobtain an overall vertical length of all the lines (#506). The overallvertical length of all the lines is compared with the vertical length ofthe printing area (#508). If the overall vertical length is larger thanthe vertical length of the printing area ("NO" in #508), after a linefeed disable message shown in FIG. 16C is displayed on the liquidcrystal display unit 7 for 2 seconds (#510), the editing screen isdisplayed (#512). On this editing screen, when a character is input ordeleted or the character size is changed, the character size isautomatically set in accordance with the flow charts of FIGS. 9 and 10(#514). However, when the overall vertical length is smaller than thevertical length of the printing area ("YES" in #508), the CPU 30determines a line feed, so that the cursor is shifted to the new line(#516). Thereafter, a character size is automatically set under thecondition that the new line is formed (#514).

Fourth Embodiment

An apparatus 1 can arbitrarily change the character size of atemporarily input character and displays the character size in an actualsize (character size display means).

Processing for changing the character size of a character string will bedescribed with reference to a flow chart in FIG. 18. When apredetermined key 6 is depressed by the user as designation fordisplaying a size setup screen (#600), the character size currentlydesignated is read out from a storage unit 31 (#601). A character sizesetup table shown in FIG. 19 is stored in the storage unit 31. Charactersize information is held in this table. The character sizes areclassified in accordance with six character sizes ranging from SS to 3Land three character shapes, i.e. , a square (square character), aflattened character (horizontally elongated character), and a condensedcharacter (vertically elongated character).

The character size information is represented by a printing dot count ata printing unit 20 and a display dot count on a liquid crystal displayunit 7. Information read out in #601 is represented by the display dotcount. The dot pitch at the printing unit 20 is about 0.141 mm, and adot pitch on the liquid display unit 7 is about 0.5 mm. Therefore, thetable has the following relationship between the printing dot count andthe display dot count:

    (Printing Dot Count)×0.141 mm≈(Display Dot Count)×0.5 mm

wherein the printing and display dot counts are predetermined integers,respectively.

A quadrangle having the readout vertical and horizontal lengths as twoadjacent sides is displayed at the central right portion of the liquidcrystal display unit 7 (#602). The selection screen for selecting theshape of a target character string from the square character, theflattened character, and the condensed character is displayed at theupper left portion of the liquid crystal display unit 7, and a selectionscreen for selecting a character size ranging from SS to 3L is displayedat the lower left portion of the liquid crystal display unit 7. Thequadrangle displayed in #602 indicates the character size of a characterstring to be printed on a label. However, the display position may beslightly shifted from the printing position due to the differencebetween the dot pitches of the printing unit 20 and the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7.

When the user designates a change in character shape of the characterstring upon operations of the keys 6 while observing the displaycontents on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#603 and #604), the sizeof a new character shape is read out from the table in the storage unit31 (#605). When the user designates to change the character size to anyone of the sizes ranging from SS to 3L (#603 and #606), a new charactersize is read out from the table in the storage unit 31 (#607). Aquadrangle formed by the readout vertical and horizontal lengths isdisplayed at the central right portion of the liquid crystal displayunit 7 (#608). Until the character size change processing is completed,the operations in #603 to #608 are repeated (#609).

The display contents of the liquid crystal display unit 7 in the abovechange processing are shown in FIGS. 20A to 22E. FIGS. 20A to 20F show achange in character size when a character string to be printed is asquare shape. FIG. 20A shows a case in which a character having a sizeof "3L" is designated. In this case, "3L" is displayed at the centralright portion of the liquid crystal display unit 7, and a quadranglerepresenting the square frame of the character size is displayed. Thisquadrangle indicates the actual size when a character is printed on alabel. FIG. 20B shows a case in which a character having a size of "LL"is designated. FIGS. 20C to 20F show cases in which characters havingsizes of "L" to "SS" are designated, respectively.

Similarly, FIGS. 21A to 21E show a case in which the character size ischanged when the character shape of a character string to be printed isof a flattened character, and FIGS. 22A to 22E show a case in which thecharacter size is changed when the character shape of a character stringto be printed is of a condensed character.

As described above, in the change in character size, the actual size isdisplayed, thereby facilitating smooth character editing and labelformation by the user.

The quadrangle displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 isdisplayed in the form of a frame of a character to be actually printed.The user can easily grasp the actual character size by this display.

Fifth Embodiment

In a conventional label printing apparatus, an input character string isdisplayed on the display, so that user can confirm whether the input iscorrectly performed. However, the user cannot know how the inputcharacter string is printed on the label until it is actually printed.For this reason, a character string must be printed on labels severaltimes to check whether a desired label is formed.

In a label printing apparatus according to the present invention, theimage of each character to be printed on a label is displayed (imagedisplay means).

This image display processing will be described with reference to flowcharts in FIGS. 23 to 26 and conceptual views of FIGS. 27A to 31C. Inthis processing, the user inputs a sheet number of a label sheet onwhich printing is to be performed (#701). In a character string inputenable state or a state wherein an image is already displayed, when theuser depresses keys (shift key+H key) for image display (#702), a CPU 30determines whether the character is already input (#703). If "NO" in#703, an image cannot be displayed, and the key input operation forimage display is invalidated, and the flow returns to #702. When acharacter is already input, the vertical and horizontal lengths of thelabel corresponding to the sheet number input in #701 are read out froma list table 31a of a storage unit 31 (#706; FIG. 28B). The list table31a store the vertical and horizontal lengths of a plurality of labelsin mm. Of the readout lengths, a reduction magnification correspondingto the long side is extracted from a reduction table 31b in the storageunit 31 (#707; FIGS. 28B and 28C). The reduction table 31b is a table ofcorrespondence between a plurality of reference size data (1 mm, 64 mm,95 mm, . . . ) and reduction magnifications (4 times, 6 times, 8 times,. . . ), and the reduction magnification corresponding to the largestreference length smaller than the long side is selected from thereference sizes. The label represented by the reduction table 31b ischanged to a size displayable within the screen of a liquid crystaldisplay unit 7. The vertical and horizontal lengths read out in #706 arereduced in accordance with the reduction magnification to obtainreduction data (#708). In this reduction processing, the unit of thevertical and horizontal lengths is changed from millimeters (mm) to adot count (FIG. 27A). The converted values are divided by the reductionmagnification, thereby obtaining the actual display size (FIG. 27B).Data obtained by extracting one dot at each corner is given as outerframe data on the basis of a quadrangular frame obtained by thereduction data (FIG. 27C). If the label is an index label (#709), aprinting disable area is set at the center of the outer frame data(#710; FIG. 27D). The outer frame data thus formed is set in the workarea in the storage unit 31 (#711).

Characters are extracted one by one from the input character string toobtain a basic font size (#712; FIG. 29A). The basic sizes of thecharacter fonts are exemplified by 16 dots and 24 dots. When charactersare designated to be printed downward (#713), the vertical andhorizontal lengths of characters to be extracted are reversed (#714,FIG. 29B). The magnification of the vertical and horizontal lengths forthe basic font is determined in accordance with the types of extractedcharacters (#715). The basic font size is increased using thismagnification (#716; FIG. 29C). When italic characters are designated tobe printed downward (#717 and #718), the size in the vertical directionis increased (#719; FIG. 30A). This increase is performed by adding{(Horizontal Length)/3-1} to the vertical length. If italic charactersare designated but these characters are not designated to be printeddownward (#717 and #718), the horizontal length is increased (#720).This increase is also performed by adding {(Vertical Length)/3-1} to thehorizontal length. The inclination of each italic character in the aboveincreases is one horizontal dot for three vertical dots (or threehorizontal dots for one vertical dot). The range of increase variesdepending on the character size of the extracted character because thecharacters in all character sizes are set to be inclined at the sameangle.

When the printing position of the extracted character is designated tobe an upper end (#721), the upper end of the extracted character isaligned with the position of the upper end of a character having thelargest size within the same line, and actual dot counts between theupper end of the label and this extracted character and between the leftend of the label and the extracted character are obtained (#722; FIG.30B). When the printing position of this extracted character isdesignated as the lower end (#723), the lower end of the extractedcharacter is aligned with the position of the lower end of a characterhaving the largest size within the same line, and actual dot countsbetween the upper end of the label and the extracted character andbetween the left end of the label and the extracted character areobtained (#724; FIG. 30B). When the printing position of the extractedcharacter is designated as an intermediate position, the center of theextracted character is aligned with the position of the center of acharacter having the largest size within the same line, and actual dotcounts between the upper end of the label and the extracted characterand between the left end of the label and the extracted character areobtained (#725; FIG. 30B).

The actual dot counts obtained as described above are divided by thereduction magnification extracted in #707 to obtain reduction distancedata representing the relative positions on the outer frame data formedin #708 (#726; FIG. 30C). Similarly, the character size of the extractedcharacter is divided by the reduction magnification to obtain areduction character size having the same magnification as that of theouter frame data (#727; FIG. 31A). If the character code of thisextracted character does not represent a space (#728), a dot patternrepresenting this extracted character is written in the outer frame dataset in the work area of the storage unit 31 (#729; FIG. 31B). Morespecifically, a quadrangle designated by the reduction character size isset at the relative positions on the outer frame data represented by thereduction distance data. In addition, the interior of the quadrangle isfilled with dots, thereby forming a dot pattern. Processing in #712 to#729 is performed for all input characters (#730).

When the vertical length of the label is smaller than the verticallength of the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#731), the outer frame dataset in the work area in the storage unit 31 and image data consisting ofdot data representing each character are read out and displayed at thecentral portion of the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#732; FIG. 31C).When the vertical length of the label is larger than the vertical lengthof the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#731), the readout image data isdisplayed from the upper end of the liquid crystal display unit 7(#733). In this case, since all the image data cannot be displayed onthe liquid crystal display unit 7, the display position can be changedby scrolling.

When the operations in #732 and #733 are completed, an image (erectingimage), the direction of which coincides with the label insertiondirection, is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7.

The CPU 30 determines whether designation for rotating the displaydirection of this erecting image is input (#734).

Rotation is designated by the keys (shift key+H key) in an apparatus 1.While the image is displayed, its rotation can be designated by thesekeys. A rotation designation key is not arranged to prevent an increasein the number of keys.

If rotation designation is present in #734 (YES), the CPU 30 thendetermines whether the image is displayed as an erecting image (#735).

If the CPU 30 determines in #735 that the image is displayed as anerecting image, the erecting image is rotated counterclockwise through90° (#736).

By this rotation, for example, in a state wherein the vertical length ofthe label is larger than the length of the liquid crystal display unit7, and the erecting image is displayed, when some image data cannot bedisplayed without changing the display position by scrolling, all theimage data along the longitudinal direction of the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7 can be displayed.

When the erecting image is displayed in #735, an arrow indicating theinsertion direction of the displayed label is displayed (#737).

On the other hand, when the displayed image is not an erecting image in#735, the displayed image is rotated clockwise through 90° (#738).

The image rotated clockwise is an erecting image.

When the operation in #732 or #733 is completed, the erecting image isalways displayed. By the first rotation designation ("YES" in #734), theerecting image is rotated counterclockwise through 90°. By the seconddesignation, the image rotated through 90° counterclockwise is replacedwith the erecting image.

When rotation designation is not input in #734 ("NO"), the CPU 30 waitsfor depression of an image display end key (cancel key) (#739). If theend key is depressed, the image display is completed, and the screenreturns to the normal editing screen (#740).

In the label printing apparatus of this embodiment, an image of a labelhaving any size can always be displayed as a reduced image fallingwithin the longitudinal size of the liquid crystal display unit. Forthis reason, printed images of all labels can be visually graspedwithout actually printing information on the labels.

Sixth Embodiment

A conventional label printing apparatus can print information on a labelhaving a plurality of input columns, such as a tack index label orcassette label. In this case, the cursor must be manually shifted toeach input column on the label after the user recognizes the positionsand sizes of the input columns, resulting in cumbersome operations.

To the contrary, a label printing apparatus of this embodiment caneasily execute input processing on a label having a plurality of inputcolumns, such as a tack index label or cassette label.

Input processing for character strings to be printed on a tack indexlabel and a cassette label will be described with reference to FIG. 32to 36B.

FIGS. 32 and 33 are flow charts showing input processing for a characterstring to be printed on a tack index label.

The sheet number assigned to the index sheet is input to specify allpieces of information such as the vertical and horizontal lengths andlayout positions of the tack index labels (#800). A printing patternselection screen as an input screen for the tack index label isdisplayed (#801). This selection screen consists of six types of labelpatterns 51 to 56 shown in FIG. 34. The label patterns 51 to 53 arepatterns each for printing identical character strings in two printingareas (columns), while the label patterns 54 to 56 are patterns each forprinting different character strings in two printing areas. When theuser shifts the cursor to designate a desired label pattern (#802), thescreen for designating the editing screen is displayed (#803). Theediting screen includes an A-side editing screen and a B-side editingscreen. The A side indicates the upper printing area of the tack indexlabel, and the B side indicates the lower printing area of the tackindex label. On this designation screen, when the user designates theA-side editing screen (#805), the A-side editing screen is displayed(#806). On the other hand, when the user designates the B-side editingscreen (#805), the B-side editing screen is displayed (#807). However,when the label patterns 51 to 53 are designated on the printing patternselection screen, the B-side editing screen cannot be designated becausea character string input on the A-side editing screen is copied to the Bside.

On these editing screens, editing operations for character strings to beprinted on a label are performed. In the editing operations, even if acharacter string is to be printed upside down, the screen is displayedin an erected state. To restore the editing screen selection processingfrom the editing operation, the cursor is shifted upward. Upon shift ofthe cursor, the display is switched from the editing screen to thedesignation screen (#809 and #803). Thereafter, processing from #804 iscontinuously performed. When the cursor is further moved upward, thedesignation screen is switched to the printing pattern selection screen(#810 and #801). Thereafter, processing from #802 is continuouslyperformed.

When the editing operation is ended in #806 or #807 (#808), it ischecked in #802 whether the patterns 51 to 53 are designated (#811). IfYES in #811, the character string input in the editing operation iscopied to the B-side work area (#812). It is also checked in #813whether the label patterns 52 and 55 are designated in #812. In thisdesignation, since an inverted character string is printed in the A-sideprinting area, information for inverting the A-side input characterstring is set (#814). In addition, it is checked in #815 whether thelabel patterns 53 and 56 are designated in #802. In this designation,since an inverted character string is printed in the B-side printingarea, information for inverting the B-side input character string is set(#816). Upon completion of the above processing operations, the editedcharacter strings and various types of information are stored in apredetermined area of a storage unit 31 (#817). Since the inputcharacter strings and the selection contents are stored in the storageunit 31, even if the apparatus is powered off and then powered on, theinput character strings are displayed on the liquid crystal display unit7 in the input form. When processing in #817 is completed, the flowreturns to #801, and processing continues.

FIG. 35 is a flow chart showing processing for inputting a characterstring to be printed on a cassette label.

When a sheet number assigned to a cassette sheet is input, all pieces ofinformation such as the vertical and horizontal lengths and layoutposition of the cassette labels are designated (#820). A selectionscreen as a cassette label input screen is displayed (#821). Thisselection screen has three choices 61 to 63 (album title formation,A-side formation, and B-side formation), as shown in FIG. 35A. Thechoice 61 of these choices is a choice for inputting a character stringto be printed in an album title column 71 of a cassette label 70 shownin FIG. 36B. Similarly, the choices 62 and 63 are choices for inputtingcharacter strings to be printed in A-side song title columns 72 andB-side song title columns 73, respectively. Of these choices, when the"album title formation" choice 61 is selected (#822), the album titleediting screen is displayed (#823). When the "A-side formation" choice62 is selected (#822), the A-side editing screen is displayed (#824).When the "B-side formation" choice 63 is selected (#822), the B-sideediting screen is displayed (#825). The user edits the character stringsto be printed on the label on these editing screens. To restore theselection screen from the editing operation, the cursor is shiftedupward. Upon shift of the cursor, the editing screen is switched to theselection screen (#821). Thereafter, processing from #822 iscontinuously performed. When the editing operation in #823, #824, or#825 is completed (#826), the edited character strings are stored in apredetermined area of the storage unit 31 (#827). Thereafter, the flowreturns to #821, and processing continues.

Since the character strings to be printed can be input to thecorresponding columns of the label, selection errors can be minimized,and the label can be quickly formed.

Seventh Embodiment

The character strings to be printed are formed as described withreference to the above embodiments. The formed character strings arestored as character string information in a storage unit 31. Under thecontrol of a CPU 30, printing is performed on labels arranged on a labelsheet on the basis of the stored data and the preset label information.

In execution of this printing processing, an apparatus 1 detects only acorner portion as the leading end of the left side of a label sheet andcontrols various printing operations with reference to this position.

Label sheet feed control in the printing processing will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 37 and 38.

Assume that a character input operation is completed, that theregistered character strings are loaded, that the "print" key isdepressed, and that various setup operations are completed. A messagesuch as "Please insert a sheet" to prompt insertion of a label sheet isdisplayed on a liquid crystal display unit 7 (#902). The user brings theleft side of a label sheet 4 into contact with a side wall 18 andinserts the label sheet from an insertion port 5. The label sheet 4 isinserted until the leading end of a label sheet A (FIG. 38) is broughtinto contact with a pair of paper feed rollers 8. In this state, thelabel sheet A is completely set. When the user depresses the "execution"key ("YES" in #904), a sheet feed motor 16 is driven (#906), and thepaper feed rollers 8 are rotated upon rotation of the sheet feed motor16. Feeding of the set label sheet A is started toward a printing unit20.

On the other hand, the CPU 30 monitors the presence/absence of a labelsheet using a sheet sensor 19 upon feeding the label sheet. Assume thatthe distance between the paper feed rollers 8 and the sheet sensor 19 isdefined as L₁. When the label sheet is detected by the sheet sensor 19while being fed by the paper feed rollers 8 by a distance correspondingto L₁, the CPU 30 determines that the label sheet is correctly fed ("NO"in #908 and "YES" in #910). After the label sheet is detected by thesheet sensor 19 and is further fed by a distance L₂, the label sheet isset as a label sheet C at a predetermined position immediately below theprinting unit 20. Thereafter, a message representing "printing" isdisplayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#914), and predeterminedprinting processing is performed (#916).

On the other hand, when the label sheet is not detected by the sheetsensor 19 although the label sheet is fed by a distance exceeding thedistance L₁ upon rotation of the paper feed rollers 8 ("NO" in #910 and"YES" in #908), the CPU 30 determines that the label sheet is notnormally fed. In this case, the CPU 30 causes the sheet feed motor 16 torotate in the reverse direction (#918) to discharge the label sheet fromthe insertion port 5. The CPU 30 causes the liquid crystal display unit7 to display a message representing refeed of the label sheet. At thesame time, the CPU 30 causes the liquid crystal display unit 7 todisplay a message for prompting a key-in operation for the start ofprinting processing. Processing from #904 is repeated.

In the apparatus 1, the label information which specifies the shape ofthe label and the layout positions of the labels is stored withreference to the corner position as the leading end of the left side ofthe label sheet. Since the printing processing is executed on the basisof this label information, it is very important to detect whether thecorner position of the label sheet is accurately set at the prescribedposition.

In this embodiment, determination for erroneous insertion of the labelsheet is performed on the basis of the feed distance of the label sheetby the paper feed rollers and the presence/absence of the label sheet bythe sheet sensor. However, this determination is not limited to this.Another method may be utilized to determine erroneous insertion of thelabel sheet as follows. When a label sheet is not detected by a sheetsensor within a predetermined period of time from the start of feedingby means of a timer or the like, erroneous insertion may be determined.

Eighth Embodiment

In printing processing, a so-called skip position may be designated suchthat printing is not performed on a specific label in consideration ofsome handwritten labels of all the labels arranged on a label sheet.

Printing processing utilizing this function will be described below.

FIG. 39 shows the relationship between a label sheet and labels. A largenumber of labels 4a having the same size are adhered on a label sheet tobe spaced apart from each other at predetermined intervals in the x andy directions. Coordinates (x,y) as position codes are assigned to theselabels 4a such that 1, 2, . . . , N are assigned in the x direction and1, 2, . . . , M are assigned in y direction.

After the number of labels to be printed is designated, the first labelsubjected to printing is designated from the large number of labelsarranged on the label sheet. Note that M represents the number of labelsarranged in the y direction (horizontal direction) and N represents thenumber of labels arranged in the x direction (vertical direction) (FIG.39).

Since the types of label sheets are specified by the previous setupoperations, the number of labels arranged on a label sheet is determinedon the basis of this label information. If the label sheet is determinedas a label sheet having a plurality of labels ("NO" in #1002, or "YES"in #1002 and "NO" in #1004), a screen for setting the printing startposition is displayed (#1006). A printing start position is input onthis setup screen (#1008). This input operation is performed byinputting the coordinate position of the first label subjected toprinting because the labels arranged on the label sheet are assignedwith coordinates. As characters input by the users, letters A, B, C, . .. are assigned in the x direction, and numbers 1, 2, 3, . . . areassigned in the y direction (FIG. 7). For example, to start printingfrom the label at the coordinate position (1,2), "A-2" is input, and tostart printing from the label at the coordinate position (2,1), "B-1" isinput. When an unused label sheet is set, "A-1" is always set as theinitial value representing the printing start position. This coordinateposition is displayed on the setup screen. To start printing from thisposition, the user simply depresses the "execution" key, and thisposition is input as the printing start position. The input coordinateposition is stored as a start position (Xs,Ys)₁ (#1010).

A screen for setting the position of a label, free from printingprocessing, i.e., the skip position, of all the labels arranged on thelabel sheet is displayed (#1012). The user inputs the skip position onthis setup screen (#1014). This input operation is performed byinputting the coordinate position of the corresponding label as in theinput operation of the printing start position. After the coordinateposition of one skip position is input, this coordinate position isstored (#1016). If an additional skip position is present ("NO" in#1018), processing in #1014 to #1018 is repeated until all the skippositions are designated.

In #1012 and #1014, each label skip position is designated in eachdesignation operation. However, when skip positions are continuous, askip range may be set. In this case, a screen for inputting the startskip position and the end skip position of the continuous skip positionsmay be displayed in #1012, and the start and end coordinate positionsmay be input in #1014.

On the other hand, if the set label sheet has only one label ("YES" in#1002 and "YES" in #1004), the printing start position and the skipposition need not be specified, and the setup operation is immediatelyended.

After the printing start position and the skip positions are designated,printing processing in FIG. 41 is executed.

The coordinate position (Xs,Ys)₁ as the printing start positiondesignated by the above setup operation is set to (x,y) (#1102) todetermine whether the coordinate position (x,y) is designated as a skipposition (#1004). If any skip position is not designated ("NO" in#1104), printing data representing a character string to be printed isset in a memory area corresponding to the position (x,y). If a pluralityof labels to be printed are set ("NO" in #1108), y of the coordinateposition (x,y) is set to y+1 in #1110. Control is shifted to a labelarranged to the right of the label at the start position, and processingin #1104 to #1112 is repeated. In this manner, printing data to beprinted are sequentially set in memory areas corresponding to therespective coordinate positions.

When y is set to y+1 in #1110, and the actual horizontal label countexceeds a horizontal label count M ("NO" in #1112), a CPU 30 determinesthat the printing data are already set for a row of labels arranged onthe label sheet. In this case, y is set to 1 (#1114) and the x is set tox+1 (#1116), so that control is shifted to the next row. At the sametime, the position of the left end label of this line (row) is stored asa new printing start position (Xs,Ys)₂ (#1118). When the x is set to x+1in #1116 and the actual vertical label count exceeds a vertical labelcount N ("NO" in #1120), the CPU 30 determines that printing setup ofall the labels arranged on this label sheet is completed. In this case,since y is already set to 1, x is set to 1 in #1122, so that theprinting start position (Xs,Ys)₂ is updated to a new label sheetposition (1,1).

In this manner, after the next printing start coordinate position isstored, printing processing of a row of labels is performed on the basisof the currently set printing data (#1124). In the apparatus 1, thelabels arranged on the label sheet are processed in units of rows, andprinting processing is sequentially performed.

When printing processing of a row of labels is completed, and thenprinting of all the designated labels is completed ("YES" in #1126), theprinting processing is completed. However, when the number of printedlabels is not equal to the number of labels to be printed ("NO" in#1126), the CPU 30 determines in #1118 whether the printing startposition (Xs,Ys)₂ is set to (1,1), i.e., whether printing processing isperformed on all the labels arranged on this label sheet. If anon-printed label is present on the label sheet ("NO" in #1128),processing from #1102 is repeated on the basis of the updated printingstart position (Xs,Ys)₂. If the CPU 30 determines in #1128 that all thelabels arranged on the label sheet are printed ("YES" in #1128), amessage for prompting insertion of a new label sheet is displayed on aliquid crystal display unit 7. At the same time, printing processing forthe new label sheet continues (#1130).

On the other hand, when the printing data is set for the position (x,y)in #1106, and the CPU 30 determines that the printing data are set forall the designated labels ("YES" in #1108), y of the coordinate position(x,y) is set to y+1 in #1132. Since the coordinate position of the labelto the right of the label to which the printing data serves as the nextprinting start position, the coordinate position is updated to thiscoordinate position in #1118. The updated coordinate position is stored.Thereafter, printing processing of a row of labels to which the currentprinting data is set is performed (#1124). Printing is performed on allthe designated labels ("YES" in #1126), and the printing processing iscompleted.

When y is set to y+1 in #1132, and the actual horizontal label countexceeds the horizontal label count M ("NO" in #1134), the CPU 30determines that the printing data are already set for a row of labelsarranged on this label sheet. The coordinate position of a label locatedat the left end of the next line is set as the next printing startposition (#1136 and #1138). When x is set to x+1 in #1138, and theactual vertical label count exceeds the vertical label count N ("NO" in#1140), the CPU 30 determines that printing setup of all the labelsarranged on this label sheet is completed. In this case, the printingstart position (Xs,Ys)₂ is set to a new label sheet position (1,1)(#1142 and #1118).

When the printing processing is finally completed, since the coordinateposition serving as the next printing processing start position isstored in #1118, the coordinate position (Xs,Ys)₂ representing the nextprinting start position is stored in a storage unit 31 in correspondencewith the sheet number of the label sheet, some labels of which arealready used.

Initial setup processing for the next printing processing using thelabel sheet, some labels of which are already used, will be describedwith reference to a flow chart in FIG. 42.

When a power switch 6a is turned on, hardware initialization isperformed. When the user selects "label formation", two selection menusof "new formation" and "continuation" are displayed on the screen(#1202).

At this time, when the user selects "continuation" ("NO" in #1204), thesheet number of a label sheet, some labels of which are already used, isdisplayed (#1206). When the user confirms the sheet number displayed onthe screen and depresses the "execution" key ("YES" in #1208), anediting screen as a character input screen is displayed (#1210). At thistime, the previously stored character string is displayed on the screen.

On the other hand, when "new formation" is selected in #1204 ("YES" in#1204), the screen is switched to a designation screen for designatingthe sheet number of a label sheet to be used (#1212). When the userinputs a sheet number (#1214), the designated label sheet is determinedas an unused label sheet, and a coordinate position (1,1) is set as aprinting start position (#1216).

Since the flow chart of FIG. 42 partially overlaps the flow chart inFIG. 8, the description made with reference to FIG. 8 will also bereferred to.

This embodiment exemplifies a case in which the printing start positionand the like are set for a label sheet having plural arrays of labelsarranged in the x and y directions. However, when setup data are to beset for a label sheet having one array of labels in only the x or ydirection, a setup screen for designating only one of the coordinatessuch as "A-" or "-1" is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7.

Since the apparatus 1 has the above function, a position at which nolabel is present can be input and designated beforehand in printing of alabel sheet having some handwritten labels, an expensive sensor or thelike for detecting the presence/absence of a label need not be arranged,and unnecessary portions can be accurately specified. In addition, whenprinting is to be restarted on a label sheet, some labels of which arealready used, the user need not designate the printing start position,thereby minimizing the cumbersome operation performed by the user.

Ninth Embodiment

Registration processing and readout processing of the formed characterstrings will be generally described with reference to FIG. 43. A storageunit 31 has a work area 311, a registration area 312, and a retrievalresult storage area 313. When a character string is input from a keyinput unit 6', this data is stored in the work area 311. The inputcharacter string (character string information) is registered such thatthe character string information read out from the work area 311 andadditional information corresponding to this character stringinformation are written in the registration area 312 as a registrationfile (registration information). Registration files are generallyclassified into a batch registration file 312a and an individualregistration file 312b. The batch registration file 312a stores aplurality of pieces of character string information in combination withone additional information. The individual registration file 312b storesone character string information in combination with one additionalinformation. The character string information is loaded by writing thecharacter string information read out from the registration area 312 inthe work area. The retrieval result storage area 313 is a memory areaused for retrieving the character string information in the registrationarea 312. The additional information written together with the characterstring information in the registration area includes data fordiscriminating batch registration from individual registration, a labelattribute, registration characters, and a sheet number.

Registration processing of a formed character string will be describedwith reference to a flow chart in FIG. 44. A selection screen forselecting batch registration or individual registration is displayed ona liquid crystal display unit 7 (#1301). When the user selects the batchregistration on the selection screen (#1302 and #1303), a CPU 30determines whether an area enough to register all the character stringinformation held in the work area 311 is left in the registration area312 (#1304). If the sufficient area is not left in the registration area312, a message representing a memory shortage is displayed (#1305), andthe flow returns to #1301. When the user selects the individualregistration on the selection screen (#1302 and #1303), the CPU 30determines whether an area enough to register predetermined characterstring information held in the work area 311 is left in the registrationarea 312 (#1306). If the sufficiently large area is not left in theregistration area 312, a message representing a memory shortage isdisplayed (#1307), and the flow returns to #1301.

When the sufficiently large area is left in the registration area 312, aregistration character input screen is displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7 (#1308). Registration characters are constituted by twocharacters for identifying each registration file in the registrationarea 312. When the user inputs registration characters in accordancewith the prompt on the input screen, a registration file is formed(#1310).

The detailed contents of registration file formation processing in #1310are shown in a flow chart in FIG. 45. In this processing, the startaddress of an empty area in the registration area 312 is set (#1321).When the user selects the batch registration in #1302 ("YES" in #1322),a batch registration identification code is written in the areadesignated by the start address (#1323). However, when the user selectsthe individual registration in #1302 ("NO" in #1322), an individualregistration identification code is written in the area designated bythe start address (#1324). The type (attribute) of label correspondingto the character string information to be registered is checked whetherto be a cassette label (#1325). If the type of label sheet is of acassette label, an attribute code corresponding to the cassette label iswritten in the area in which the identification code is written (#1326).Similarly, the CPU 30 determines whether the type of label is of anindex label (#1327). If YES in #1327, an attribute code corresponding tothe index label is written in the next area (#1328). Similarly, the typeof label is determined whether the type of label is of a box label or aruled label (#1329 to #1332). If the type of label does not correspondto any one of the above labels, an attribute code corresponding to anormal label is written (#1333). The registration characters are writtenin an area next to the area of the attribute code (#1334). The currentsheet number and the character string information are sequentiallywritten in the area next to that of the registration characters (#1335).The registration file shown in FIG. 43 is formed by the aboveprocessing.

Since an apparatus 1 can perform batch registration for collectivelyregistering a plurality of pieces of character string information inaddition to individual registration for registering each characterstring information, the plurality of pieces of character stringinformation can be collectively read out. In printing processing, acumbersome operation for sequentially reading out all pieces ofcharacter string information to perform individual printing processingcan be eliminated. Even a plurality of character strings can beprocessed in batch printing processing.

Readout processing of registered character string information will bedescribed with reference to a flow chart in FIG. 46. A selection screenfor selecting a batch registration scheme or an individual registrationscheme of a registration file to be read out is displayed on the liquidcrystal display unit 7 (#1341). The user selects one of the registrationschemes on this selection screen (#1342). An input screen for promptinga key-in operation for retrieval characters is displayed on the liquidcrystal display unit 7 (#1343). The retrieval characters are defined asthe registration characters or characters obtained by substituting someor all of the registration characters with a space (blank) or spaces.This space indicates any character. For example, "A" ("A" and space) isgiven as the retrieval characters, all registration files each startedwith the first character as "A" are retrieved. Registration fileretrieval processing is executed (#1345) when the user enters theretrieval characters (#1344).

If a designated registration file is not found in the retrievalprocessing (#1346), a message representing the absence of the designatedregistration file is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7(#1347), and the flow returns to #1343. However, if the designatedregistration file is found in the retrieval processing (#1346), thefirst seven characters of the character string information in theretrieved registration file are displayed on the liquid crystal displayunit 7 (#1348). When the retrieval characters are designated by onlyalphanumeric characters without including any space, only oneregistration file is retrieved. Therefore, only one character stringinformation of the registration file is displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7. However, when the retrieval characters include a space,a plurality of registration files may be retrieved. In this case, aplurality of pieces of character string information of a plurality ofregistration files are sequentially displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7.

When the user designates a registration file to be loaded (#1349), thedesignated registration file is read out from the registration area 312,and the character string information of the registration file is writtenin the work area 311 (#1350).

The detailed contents of the registration file retrieval processing in#1345 are shown in a flow chart in FIG. 47. In this processing, thestorage address of the first registration file is set as a retrievaladdress (#1361). Additional information of the registration filedesignated by this retrieval address is loaded (#1362). Whendetermination result (#1363) of selection (#1341) of the registrationscheme does not coincide with the type of registration, i.e., batch orindividual registration represented by the additional information,retrieval of this registration file is ended (#1364 and #1365). If thelabel attribute in the additional information does not coincide with theattribute of the current editing label, retrieval of this registrationfile is ended (#1366). In addition, when the retrieval characters inputin #1344 do not coincide with the registration characters in theadditional information, retrieval of this registration file is ended(#1367). When the retrieval characters coincide with the registrationcharacters, the registration position information (e.g., a startaddress) of the retrieved registration file is stored in the retrievalresult storage area 313 in the storage unit 31 (#1368). When theretrieval characters include a space, since the space indicates anycharacter, the input retrieval characters may coincide with differentpairs of registration characters. In this case, a plurality of pieces ofregistration position information are stored in the retrieval resultstorage area 313. For example, when "A" ("A" and space) is input as theretrieval characters, all pieces of registration position information ofall the registration files starting with the first character as "A" arestored. When " " (two spaces) is input as the retrieval characters, allpieces of registration position information of all the registrationfiles are stored. Processing in #1362 to #1368 is performed for all theregistration files (#1369) while the retrieval address is being updatedin an order of the storage address of the next registration files(#1370).

Comparison processing between the retrieval and registration charactersin step #1367 will be described with reference to a flow chart in FIG.48. Registration characters are read out from the additional informationof the registration file (#1381). The first character of the retrievalcharacters is compared with the first character of the registrationcharacters (#1382). If these first characters do not coincide with eachother, it is checked if the first character of the retrieval charactersis a space (#1383). If the first character of the retrieval characterscoincide with that of the registration characters, or the firstcharacter of the retrieval characters is a space, the second characterof the retrieval characters is compared with the second character of theregistration characters (#1384). If the second character of theretrieval characters does not coincide with the second character of theregistration characters, it is checked whether the second character ofthe retrieval characters is a space (#1385). If the second character ofthe retrieval characters coincides with that of the registrationcharacter or the second character of the retrieval characters is aspace, the CPU 30 determines that the retrieval characters coincide withthe registration characters (#1386), and the flow advances to #1386. Ifthe first character of the retrieval characters is determined in #1383not to be a space, or the second character of the retrieval charactersis determined in #1385 not to be a space, the CPU 30 determines that theretrieval characters do not coincide with the registration characters,and the flow advances to step #1369.

The label attributes compared in #1366 represent classification into acassette label, an index label, a box label, a ruled label, and a normallabel. The label forms can be identified in accordance with sizes ofpredetermined portions of the respective labels and the sheet numbersassigned to the respective labels.

FIGS. 49A to 51B show the shapes of the respective labels. FIG. 49Ashows a tack index sheet, and the shape of each index label adhered onthis sheet. "A" to "K" in FIG. 49A define the sizes and the number oflabels. The label is discriminated in accordance with thepresence/absence of "J" and "K". As shown in FIG. 49A, a distance "K" isset, but a length "J" is not set.

FIG. 49B shows a box filing label sheet and the shape of each box labeladhered on this sheet. A distance "K" is set in the box filing label,but a length "J" is not set therein. For this reason, since the tackindex sheet cannot be discriminated from the box filing label sheet dueto the presence/absence of "J" and "K", and the label attributes arediscriminated in accordance with sheet names.

FIG. 50A shows a tack title sheet and the shape of each normal labeladhered on this sheet. Referring to FIG. 50A, "J" and "K" are set on thetack title sheet.

FIG. 50B shows a ruled tack title sheet and the shape of each ruledlabel adhered on this sheet. Referring to FIG. 50B, "J" is set on theruled tack title sheet, but "K" is not set thereon.

FIG. 51A shows the shape of a cassette label, and FIG. 51B shows theshape of the album title printing range of this cassette label.Referring to FIG. 51A, both "J" and "K" are set on the cassette label.

Since the tack title sheet, the ruled tack title sheet, and the cassettelabel can be discriminated from each other due to the presence/absenceof "J" and "K", their label attributes can be discriminated inaccordance with the presence/absence of "J" and "K". That is, the labelattributes are discriminated from each other in accordance with thepresence/absence of "J" and "K", and the label attributes of labels(i.e., the tack index sheet and the box filing label) which cannot bediscriminated in accordance with the presence/absence of "J" and "K" arediscriminated in accordance with the sheet numbers.

As described above, the scheme for discriminating the label attributesin accordance with the sizes of the predetermined portions ("J" and "K"in this embodiment) of the labels is employed. For this reason, when anon-standard label is to be registered in the storage unit 31 and isthen used, labels whose label attributes can be discriminated inaccordance with the sizes of the predetermined portions need not beassigned with the label information associated with the label attribute,thereby saving the memory capacity.

In this embodiment, if registration files have different labelattributes in the comparison in #1366, these registration files areeliminated from the objects to be retrieved. For this reason, retrievalprocessing can be performed at high speed. In this manner, theregistration files having different label attributes are eliminated fromthe objects to be retrieval because labels having different labelattributes have different shapes, and printing on the labels cannot beperformed even if the character string is loaded.

Tenth Embodiment

An apparatus 1 can perform printing on different types of label sheetsif they have the same label attributes as those in registration uponreadout of the registered character string.

The respective processing operations for executing this printingprocessing will be described below.

FIG. 52 is a flow chart showing processing for inputting a characterstring and registering it in a storage unit 31. If a sheet number(identification code) of a label sheet on which a character string is tobe printed is input (#1400), the vertical and horizontal lengths of aprinting range of a label corresponding to this sheet are read out fromthe storage unit 31 (#1401). A maximum line count (L_(max)) capable ofprinting characters each having a minimum character size is calculatedin accordance with the vertical length of the printing range (#1402). Amaximum character count (M_(max)) capable of printing characters eachhaving a minimum character size is calculated in accordance with thehorizontal length of the printing range (#1403). Thereafter, operationsfor inputting and editing a character string to be printed are performed(#1404). Upon completion of the input and editing operations, if theedited character string is designated to be registered (#1405),registration processing is performed (#1406). This registrationprocessing is processing for registering the edited character string(character string information) and additional information of thischaracter string as a registration file (registration information) inthe storage unit 31. The additional information includes character sizeinformation of characters constituting the character string, thecharacter appearance attribute of the character string, the sheet numberof the label sheet on which the character string is printed, andinformation for discriminating automatic character size from thecharacter size designated by the user.

When printing processing for printing information on a label isdesignated upon completion of the processing in #14104, the characterstring edited by the input/editing operation is printed on a labelcorresponding to the sheet number input in #1400.

FIGS. 53 and 54 are flow charts for reading out a character stringregistered in the storage unit 31. When a sheet number of a desiredlabel sheet on which a character string is to be printed is input(#1450), the vertical and horizontal lengths of a printing range of alabel corresponding to the sheet number are read out from the storageunit 31 (#1451). A maximum line count (L_(max)) capable of printingcharacters each having a minimum character size is calculated inaccordance with the vertical length of the printing range (#1452). Amaximum character count (M_(max)) capable of printing characters eachhaving a minimum character size is calculated in accordance with thehorizontal length of the printing range (#1453). When registrationcharacters for specifying a registration file are input (#1454),retrieval from a large number of pieces of registered additionalinformation is started (#1455). The registration characters consist oftwo predetermined characters input in registration of character stringinformation or the like. As a result of retrieval, if a registrationfile cannot be found (#1456), a message representing that the designatedregistration file is not present is displayed, and processing is ended(#1457). On the other hand, as a result of retrieval, if theregistration file is found (#1456), the first seven characters of thecharacter string in the registration file are displayed on a liquidcrystal display unit 7 (#1458). This retrieval can be performed bydesignating one of the two characters as registration characters, asdescribed above. In this case, a plurality of registration files may beretrieved, and the first seven characters of the plurality of characterstrings are sequentially displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7.The user vertically shifts the cursor to designate a predeterminedregistration file (#1459). It is checked whether the sheet number inputin #1450 coincides with the sheet number in the retrieved additionalinformation (#1460). If YES in #1460, the character string informationcorresponding to this additional information is loaded (#1461). If NO in#1460, the next processing is performed. The line count of the characterstring in the registration file designed in #1459 is calculated (#1462).If this line count is larger than the maximum line count (L_(max))calculated in #1452 (#1463), a message saying that "This label cannot beloaded" is displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 (#1464), andthe flow returns to #1458. When the maximum line count calculated in#1462 is equal to or smaller than the maximum line count (L_(max))(#1463), the maximum character count within the line of the characterstring of the registration file designated in #1459 is calculated in#1465. If this maximum character count is larger than the maximumcharacter count (M_(max)) calculated in #1453 (#1466), a message sayingthat "This label cannot be loaded" is displayed on the liquid crystaldisplay unit 7 (#1464), and the flow returns to #1458. If the maximumcharacter count calculated in #1465 is equal to or smaller than themaximum character count (M_(max)) calculated in #1453 (#1466), theregistration file is loaded (#1467). The character size information andthe character appearance attribute information in the registration fileare cleared, and the character size of the character string in theregistration file is set to the automatic character size (#1468). Thecharacter appearance attribute information is cleared because thecharacter size may be substantially increased by the characterappearance attribute. The character size of this character string is setto fall within the printing range of the label read out from the storageunit 31 in #1451 (#1469). The character string in the registration fileis displayed on the liquid crystal display unit 7 in the character sizeset as described above.

Subsequently, editing processing of the character string displayed onthe liquid crystal display unit 7, registration processing of theregistration file in the storage unit 31, or printing processing isperformed.

Eleventh Embodiment

Special numbers and symbols which cannot be converted into kanjicharacters are included in the characters input by the operator. Allthese symbols and numbers except for general ones must be input usingcodes or a retrieval function. For this reason, when these symbolsfrequently appear, the input operation is time-consuming, resulting ininconvenience.

An apparatus 1 has a wordprocessing function to be described below.

In this wordprocessing function, when the operator inputs a punctuationmark ", ", a punctuation mark group consisting of ", / " is displayed onthe display. When a full stop "." is input, a full stop group consistingof "∘. !?" is displayed on the display. In addition, when a conjunctionmark "˜" is input, a conjunction mark group consisting of "˜-. . . ·. .. " is displayed on the display. Similarly, when a parenthesis "(" isinput, a parenthesis group consisting of "( [. . ." is displayed on thedisplay. When a number "2" is input, a number group consisting of "2 II. . ." is displayed on the display.

When the operator uses the cursor shift keys to move the cursor to thedesired data in the selection data group displayed on the display. Whenthe operator depresses "confirmation" key at this position, the desireddata is confirmed. The desired data is updated as non-confirmed datawhich is then displayed on the display.

A wordprocessor having the above functions will be described in detailbelow.

FIG. 55 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the wordprocessoraccording to this embodiment. The wordprocessor comprises a keyboard 110for inputting kana characters or letters, a display 120 for displayinginput character data or converted data, a storage unit 130 for storing aconversion program 131, and a CPU 140 for controlling these components.The storage unit 130 stores a kanji dictionary 132 in which conversionkanji data are registered, and a retrieval table 133 in which a seriesof symbol groups and a series of number groups are registered, inaddition to the conversion program 131.

The retrieval program 131 stored in the storage unit 130 performsgeneral character retrieval processing and symbol retrieval process asthe characteristic feature of this embodiment. The character retrievalprocessing is processing for converting character data input at thekeyboard 110 into kanji data. On the other hand, the symbol retrievalprocessing is processing for converting specific symbol data or numberdata input from the keyboard 110 into another symbol data.

The processing contents of the retrieval program 131 are shown in FIG.56. The retrieval program 131 monitors a data input to the keyboard 110by the operator and detects a key-in operation of a conversion key(#1510). When depression of the conversion key is detected, data inputuntil the conversion key is depressed are checked (#1520). If the inputdata is character data, the character retrieval processing is performed(#1530). If the input data is symbol or number data, the symbolretrieval processing is performed (#1540).

The symbol retrieval processing as the characteristic feature of thisembodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 57 to 58B. FIG. 57is a flow chart showing the contents of the symbol retrieval processing.FIG. 58A is a view showing the outer appearance of the wordprocessor.FIG. 58B is a plan view showing the display contents of the display 120.In the symbol retrieval processing, a group list in which the inputsymbol or number data is registered is retrieved and read out from theconversion table 133 (#1610). To input " " after the already input data"<<New Product Introduction", when ")" in the same group as the " "assigned to the keyboard 110 is input, the symbol group ") "]> . . . "is read out from the conversion table 133. The readout list is displayedin a lower column 121 of the display 120 (#1620). When the operatorshifts a cursor 122 to select a desired symbol from the symbol group(#1630), this symbol becomes confirmed data and is replaced with theinput data (#1640).

The symbol retrieval processing is performed due to the followingreason. A symbol input operation in the conventional wordprocessor istime-consuming because the number of keys of the keyboard 110 islimited, and the number of symbols directly assigned to the keys issmall. For this reason, a large number of symbols assigned to the keysare input using codes or a retrieval function. However, according tothis embodiment, since a plurality of symbols are divided into groups,even if a desired symbol is not assigned to a specific key, the desiredsymbol can be selected and input by entering another symbol belonging tothe same group as that of the desired symbol. In the conventionalwordprocessor, the symbols and numbers are not objects to be convertedand are confirmed simultaneously with input operations. However,according to this embodiment, when a symbol or number is input and theconversion key is depressed, a group list is displayed, and the desireddata is selected from this list, thereby converting the input data intothe desired data.

FIGS. 59 and 60 show a list of groups of the conversion table 133. Inthis list, symbols or numbers which can be directly entered with keysare listed in the left columns, and group members are listed in theright columns. Since symbols (numbers) which are not assigned to thekeyboard are conventionally input by codes, a plurality of operationsare required. However, according to this embodiment, any symbol (number)in the member list is input with a key, the list of the symbol (number)group is displayed on the display 120, and the user can select a desiredsymbol (number) from this member list. In addition, the punctuationgroup, the full stop group, the conjunction mark group, the left (right)parenthesis group are obtained such that symbols having high grammaticalcorrelations are grouped. In addition, numbers representing the samevalues but having different notation methods are grouped. For example,numbers "1, 1, I, --, . . ." are grouped. For this reason, even if thegroup list is not stored, a desired symbol (number) can be almostaccurately found out.

According to the wordprocessor of this embodiment, time-consumingretrieval of a desired symbol due to non-assignment of symbols to thekeyboard can be solved, thus providing an excellent effect. That is,another symbol (i.e., a symbol assigned to the keyboard) belonging tothe same group as that of the desired symbol is input to select thedesired data from the displayed list. Therefore, the input data can beconverted into the desired data. By executing this input processing, theretrieval time can be greatly reduced.

From the invention thus described, it will be obvious that the inventionmay be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all suchmodifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intendedto be included within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A label printing apparatus for inputting adesired character string with keys and printing the input characterstring in units of labels arranged on a label sheet, comprisingstoragemeans and processing means, said storage means storing label informationfor specifying a size and a layout position of each of the labelsarranged on the label sheet, identification codes corresponding tovarious pieces of said label information, and character size informationdefining a plurality of character sizes as character sizes subjected toprinting, and said processing means comprising first processing meansfor specifying said label information corresponding to an inputidentification code, second processing means for discriminating aprinting area of the label from the specified label information,comparing a vertical length of the printing area with a horizontallength of the printing area to determine a smaller one of the verticaland horizontal lengths as a reference length, and selecting a maximumcharacter size falling within a square area having one end as thereference length from the character size information, third processingmeans for calculating a horizontal length of a generated characterstring when the horizontal length of the selected character size isdefined as a reference and every time an input character count isincreased/decreased, and fourth processing means for always comparingthe horizontal length of the generated character string with thehorizontal length of the printing area of the label, selecting acharacter size smaller than a character size of the generated characterstring from the character size information when the horizontal length ofthe generated character string is larger than that of the printing area,and changing said selected character size into this small charactersize.
 2. An apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid third processingmeans calculates the horizontal length of the generated character stringin units of lines when the number of characters input to each line isincreased/decreased, and said fourth processing means selects acharacter size smaller than a character size of the character string andchanges the character sizes of all lines to this small character sizewhen said fourth processing means always compares the horizontal lengthof the generated character string with the horizontal length of theprinting area of the label in units of lines, and a line in which thehorizontal length of the character string is larger than that of theprinting area is present, and said apparatus further comprises fifthprocessing means for adding the vertical lengths of the character sizesdetermined by the fourth processing means to obtain an overall length ofall the lines, comparing the overall length with the vertical length ofthe printing area of the label, selecting a character size smaller thanthe character string when the overall length is larger than the verticallength of the printing area, and changing the character sizes of all thelines to this selected small character size.
 3. A label printingapparatus for inputting a desired character string with keys andprinting the input character string in units of labels arranged on alabel sheet, comprisingdisplay means for displaying a messagecorresponding to an input character string and each operation stage;printing means for performing printing on each label; storage means; andprocessing means, said storage means storing label information forspecifying a size and a layout position of each of the labels arrangedon the label sheet, identification codes corresponding to various piecesof label information, and character size information defining aplurality of character sizes as character sizes subjected to printing,and said processing means includingfirst processing means for specifyinglabel information corresponding to an input identification code, secondprocessing means for discriminating a printing area of the label fromthe specified label information, comparing a vertical length of theprinting area with a horizontal length of the printing area to determinea smaller one of the vertical and horizontal lengths as a referencelength, and selecting a maximum character size falling within a squarearea having one end as the reference length from the character sizeinformation, third processing means for calculating a horizontal lengthof a generated character string when the horizontal length of theselected character size is defined as a reference and every time aninput character count is increased/decreased, and fourth processingmeans for always comparing the horizontal length of the generatedcharacter string with the horizontal length of the printing area of thelabel, selecting a character size smaller than a character size of thecharacter string from the character size information when the horizontallength of the character string is larger than that of the printing area,and changing all character sizes to this small character size.
 4. Anapparatus according to claim 3, whereinsaid third processing meanscalculates the horizontal length of the generated character string inunits of lines when the number of characters input to each line isincreased/decreased, and said fourth processing means selects acharacter size smaller than a character size of the character string andchanges the character sizes of all lines to this small character sizewhen said fourth processing means always compares the horizontal lengthof the generated character string with the horizontal length of theprinting area of the label in units of lines, and a line in which thehorizontal length of the character string is larger than that of theprinting area is present, and said apparatus further comprises fifthprocessing means for adding the vertical lengths of the character sizesdetermined by the fourth processing means to obtain an overall length ofall the lines, comparing the overall length with the vertical length ofthe printing area of the label, selecting a character size smaller thanthe character string when the overall length is larger than the verticallength of the printing area, and changing the character sizes of all thelines to this selected small character size.
 5. An apparatus accordingto claim 4, wherein said processing means comprise character spacingassigning means for equally assigning spacings of the inputcharacters,said character spacing assigning means comprising sixthprocessing means for determining the printing area of the label from thelabel information of the label sheet subjected to printing andcalculating the horizontal length of the printing area, seventhprocessing means for calculating an overall horizontal length of allcharacters on each line every time the number of input characters isincreased/decreased or the size of the input character is changed,eighth processing means for subtracting the overall horizontal length ofthe characters which is calculated in said seventh processing means fromthe horizontal length of the printing area which is calculated in saidsixth processing means in units of lines upon reception of a key inputrepresenting an end of character editing, and calculating a length of ablank area formed in the printing area in units of lines, and ninthprocessing means for equally assigning each blank area obtained by saideighth processing means to the characters input for each line on thebasis of the blank area of each line which is obtained in said eightprocessing means and the number of characters input for each line.
 6. Anapparatus according to claim 5, wherein said ninth processing means for,when a remainder is formed in equal assignment of the blank area tocharacter spacings, dividing the remainder into halves, and equallyassigning the halves to the blank areas formed at frontmost and rearmostportions of the character string.
 7. An apparatus according to claim 6,wherein said processing means comprise line spacing assigning means forequally assigning spacings of the input character string,said linespacing assigning means comprising tenth processing means fordetermining the printing area of the label from the label information ofthe label sheet subjected to printing and calculating the verticallength of the printing area, eleventh processing means for extracting acharacter size having a maximum vertical length in units of lines, andcalculating an overall vertical length of all extracted character sizesevery time the number of input characters is increased/decreased or thesize of the input character is changed, twelfth processing means forsubtracting the overall vertical length calculated in said eleventhprocessing means from the vertical length of the printing area which iscalculated in said tenth processing means upon reception of a key inputrepresenting an end of character editing, and calculating a verticallength of a blank area formed in the printing area, and thirteenthprocessing means for equally assigning the blank area obtained by thetwelfth processing means to the lines input in the printing area on thebasis of the blank area obtained in said twelfth processing means andthe number of input lines.
 8. An apparatus according to claim 7, whereinsaid thirteenth processing means for, when a remainder is formed inequal assignment of the blank area to line spacings, dividing theremainder into halves, and equally assigning the halves to the blankareas formed above an uppermost line and below a lowermost line.
 9. Anapparatus according to claim 7, wherein said processing means furthercomprises character string overflow determining means for determiningwhether a character string during editing falls within one line,saidcharacter string overflow determining means comprising fourteenthprocessing means for changing an automatically set character sizepresent in said one line during editing into a minimum character size inthe character size information, fifteenth processing means for adding anoverall horizontal length of the automatically set character sizechanged into the minimum character size and an overall horizontal lengthof character sizes arbitrarily set, and obtaining a character stringlength of a character string within said one line during editing, andsixteenth processing means for always comparing the character stringlength with the horizontal length of the printing area, and when thecharacter string length is larger than the horizontal length of theprinting area, displaying a character overflow mark between a characterstring falling within the printing area and a character stringoverflowing from the printing area in the character string which isbeing edited and displayed on said display means.
 10. An apparatusaccording to claim 9, wherein said processing means further comprisesline overflow determining means for determining whether a characterstring which is being edited and is input extending in a plurality oflines falls within the printing area of the label,said line overflowdetermining means comprising seventeenth processing means for changingan automatically set character size present in each line during editinginto a minimum character size in the character size information,eighteenth processing means for extracting a character size having amaximum vertical length from a character string of lines includingarbitrarily set character sizes and a currently edited line, and forobtaining an overall vertical length of all the lines by adding thevertical lengths of the extracted character sizes, and nineteenthprocessing means for always comparing the overall vertical length of allthe lines with the vertical length of the printing area, and when theoverall vertical length is larger than the vertical length of theprinting area, for displaying a message representing line overflow onsaid display means.
 11. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein saidprocessing means comprise line spacing assigning means for equallyassigning spacings of the input character string,said line spacingassigning means comprising tenth processing means for determining theprinting area of the label from the label information of the label sheetsubjected to printing and calculating the vertical length of theprinting area, eleventh processing means for extracting a character sizehaving a maximum vertical length in units of lines, and calculating anoverall vertical length of all extracted character sizes every time thenumber of input characters is increased/decreased or the size of theinput character is changed, twelfth processing means for subtracting theoverall vertical length calculated in said eleventh processing meansfrom the vertical length of the printing area which is calculated insaid tenth processing means upon reception of a key input representingan end of character editing, and calculating a vertical length of ablank area formed in the printing area, and thirteenth processing meansfor equally assigning the blank area obtained by the twelfth processingmeans to the lines input in the printing area on the basis of the blankarea obtained in said twelfth processing means and the number of inputlines.
 12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said thirteenthprocessing means for, when a remainder is formed in equal assignment ofthe blank area to line spacings, dividing the remainder into halves, andequally assigning the halves to the blank areas formed above anuppermost line and below a lowermost line.
 13. An apparatus according toclaim 11, wherein said processing means further comprisescharacterstring overflow determining means for determining whether a characterstring during editing falls within one line, said character stringoverflow determining means comprising fourteenth processing means forchanging an automatically set character size present in said one lineduring editing into a minimum character size in the character sizeinformation, fifteenth processing means for adding an overall horizontallength of the automatically set character size changed into the minimumcharacter size and an overall horizontal length of character sizesarbitrarily set, and obtaining a character string length of a characterstring within said one line during editing, and sixteenth processingmeans for always comparing the character string length with thehorizontal length of the printing area, and when the character stringlength is larger than the horizontal length of the printing area,displaying a character overflow mark between a character string fallingwithin the printing area and a character string overflowing from theprinting area in the character string which is being edited anddisplayed on said display means.
 14. An apparatus according to claim 13,wherein said processing means further comprises line overflowdetermining means for determining whether a character string which isbeing edited and is input extending in a plurality of lines falls withinthe printing area of the label,said line overflow determining meanscomprising seventeenth processing means for changing an automaticallyset character size present in each line during editing into a minimumcharacter size in the character size information, eighteenth processingmeans for extracting a character size having a maximum vertical lengthfrom a character string of lines including arbitrarily set charactersizes and a currently edited line, and for obtaining an overall verticallength of all the lines by adding the vertical lengths of the extractedcharacter sizes, and nineteenth processing means for always comparingthe overall vertical length of all the lines with the vertical length ofthe printing area, and when the overall vertical length is larger thanthe vertical length of the printing area, displaying a messagerepresenting line overflow on said display means.
 15. An apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein said processing means further comprisescharacter string overflow determining means for determining whether acharacter string during editing falls within one line,said characterstring overflow determining means comprising fourteenth processing meansfor changing an automatically set character size present in said oneline during editing into a minimum character size in the character sizeinformation, fifteenth processing means for adding an overall horizontallength of the automatically set character size changed into the minimumcharacter size and an overall horizontal length of character sizesarbitrarily set, and for obtaining a character string length of acharacter string within said one line during editing, and sixteenthprocessing means for always comparing the character string length withthe horizontal length of the printing area, and when the characterstring length is larger than the horizontal length of the printing area,for displaying a character overflow mark between a character stringfalling within the printing area and a character string overflowing fromthe printing area in the character string which is being edited anddisplayed on said display means.
 16. An apparatus according to claim 15,wherein said processing means further comprises line overflowdetermining means for determining whether a character string which isbeing edited and is input extending in a plurality of lines falls withinthe printing area of the label,said line overflow determining meanscomprising seventeenth processing means for changing an automaticallyset character size present in each line during editing into a minimumcharacter size in the character size information, eighteenth processingmeans for extracting a character size having a maximum vertical lengthfrom a character string of lines including arbitrarily set charactersizes and a currently edited line, and for obtaining an overall verticallength of all the lines by adding the vertical lengths .of the extractedcharacter sizes, and nineteenth processing means for always comparingthe overall vertical length of all the lines with the vertical length ofthe printing area, and when the overall vertical length is larger thanthe vertical length of the printing area, for displaying a messagerepresenting line overflow on said display means.
 17. An apparatusaccording to claim 4, wherein said processing means further comprisescharacter size display means for displaying a set character size in anactual size,said character size display means comprising twentiethprocessing means for reading out the vertical and horizontal lengths ofa character size from the character size information of said storagemeans when a change in the character size is designated, andtwenty-first processing means for causing said display means to displaya quadrangle corresponding to the readout vertical and horizontallengths.
 18. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the labelinformation stored in said storage means comprises:a list table in whichthe vertical and horizontal lengths of the various labels areregistered, and a reduction table for storing a plurality of predefinedreference size data for determining reduction magnifications of thevarious labels and reduction magnification data for reducing thereference size data into sizes smaller than a longitudinal length ofsaid display means, the plurality of predefined reference size databeing set to correspond to the reduction magnification data,respectively, and said processing means further comprise image displaymeans including twenty-second processing means for, when image displayof a predetermined label is designated, reading out the vertical andhorizontal length data of the predetermined label from said list table,and for selecting reduction magnification data corresponding to alongest size of the reference size data which is smaller than a longerone of the readout vertical and horizontal lengths, and twenty-thirdprocessing means for reducing the vertical and horizontal lengths of thepredetermined label and a character size of a character printed on thepredetermined label on the basis of the reduction magnification selectedby said twenty-second processing means, for displaying the reducedpredetermined label in a form of a quadrangular frame on said displaymeans, and for displaying each character to be printed on saidpredetermined label as a dot pattern having a reduced character size ata position corresponding to an interior of the frame.
 19. An apparatusaccording to claim 18, wherein said image display means furthercomprises twenty-fourth processing means for reversing vertical andhorizontal lengths of the quadrangular frame, for reversing vertical dotdata and horizontal dot data of the dot pattern, and for displaying thereversed dot pattern on said display means when an image is displayed onsaid display means by said image display means and designation forrotating the image through 90° is input.
 20. An apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein said label printing apparatus is an apparatus forperforming printing on a label having two columns, and said processingmeans comprisetwenty-fifth processing means for causing said displaymeans to display a selection screen having a plurality of choicesincluding a choice for selecting whether each character string to beprinted in each of the two columns of said label is an erecting orinverted character string and a choice for selecting whether characterstrings to be printed in the two columns are the same or different,twenty-sixth processing means for displaying an input screen forprompting an input of one type of character string when a predeterminedchoice is made in accordance with designation on the selection screenand the character strings to be printed in the two columns are the sameor an input screen for prompting an input of two types of characterstrings when the predetermined choice is made in accordance with thedesignation on the selection screen and the character strings to beprinted in the two columns are different, and twenty-seventh processingmeans for, when a predetermined character string is input in accordancewith designation on the input screen, executing printing processing onthe label in accordance with selection contents of the predeterminedcharacter string.
 21. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein saidlabel printing apparatus is an apparatus for printing input characterstrings in a label having three columns, respectively, andsaidprocessing means comprise twenty-eighth processing means for causingsaid display means to display a selection screen for selecting a desiredcolumn from all the columns, twenty-ninth processing means for causingsaid display means to display an input screen for prompting an input ofa character string to be printed in a predetermined column when thepredetermined column is selected on the selection screen, and thirtiethprocessing means for executing printing processing of a plurality ofcharacter strings on the label when the plurality of character stringsare input in accordance with designation on the input screen.
 22. Anapparatus according to claim 21, wherein said label printing apparatusis an apparatus for printing input character strings in a label havingthree columns, respectively, andsaid processing means comprisetwenty-eighth processing means for causing said display means to displaya selection screen for selecting a desired column from all the columns,twenty-ninth processing means for causing said display means to displayan input screen for prompting an input of a character string to beprinted in a predetermined column when the predetermined column isselected on the selection screen, and thirtieth processing means forexecuting printing processing of a plurality of character strings on thelabel when the plurality of character strings are input in accordancewith designation on the input screen.
 23. An apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein said label printing apparatus further comprises feedmeans for feeding an inserted label sheet to a printing position inprinting processing and position detecting means for detecting whetherthe label sheet fed by said feed means is set at a position serving as areference for the printing processing, andsaid processing means comprisefeed control means for controlling feeding of the label sheet subjectedto printing, said feed control means comprising thirty-first processingmeans for causing said display means to display a message for promptinga key input for a start of printing to a user after the user completes aprinting setup operation, thirty-second processing means for causingsaid feed means to start feeding the label sheet upon reception of thekey input for the start of printing, and thirty-third processing meansfor reversing a feed direction of the label sheet fed by said feed meanswhen the label sheet is not detected by said position detecting meansupon feeding of the label sheet by a predetermined distance by said feedmeans.
 24. An apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said feed controlmeans further comprises thirty-fourth processing means for causing saiddisplay means to display a message for prompting re-feed of the labelsheet when the feed direction of the label sheet fed by said feed meansis reversed.
 25. An apparatus according to claim 4, whereinthe labelinformation stored in said storage means includes position informationrepresenting layout positions of labels on the various label sheets,size information representing sizes of the labels, and position codescorresponding to the layout positions of the labels, and said processingmeans further comprises thirty-fifth processing means for specifying theposition information of an unnecessary printing label of a plurality oflabels arranged on the label sheet on the basis of an input positioncode when the position code is input to designate a layout position ofthe unnecessary printing label of the labels arranged on the labelsheet, and thirty-sixth processing means for sequentially executingprinting processing of the input character strings on respective labelsexcept for the unnecessary printing label on the basis of the positioninformation specified by said thirty-fifth processing means and theposition information and the size information of the label sheet whichare stored in said storage means.
 26. An apparatus according to claim25, whereinsaid storage means comprises a position storage unit forstoring a predetermined one of the position codes, and said processingmeans comprise thirty-seventh processing means for causing said positionstorage unit to store the position code representing a printing startposition of the label sheet subjected to printing, thirty-eighthprocessing means for defining as the printing start position a layoutposition designated by the position code stored in said position storageunit, and for sequentially performing printing processing on the labelson the basis of the position information and the size information of thelabels arranged on the label sheet, thirty-ninth processing means forspecifying the position code representing a printing start position innext printing processing on the basis of the layout position of a lastprinted label in the printing processing, and fortieth processing meansfor updating the position code stored in said position storage unit andstoring the position code specified by said thirty-ninth processingmeans as a new printing start position in said position storage unit.27. An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said thirty-seventhprocessing means automatically stores a predetermined specific positioncode in said position storage unit when an unused label sheet issubjected to printing processing.
 28. An apparatus according to claim26, wherein said thirty-seventh processing means stores a position codearbitrarily input by a user in said position storage unit.
 29. Anapparatus according to claim 4, whereinthe label information stored insaid storage means includes position information representing layoutpositions of labels on the various label sheets, size informationrepresenting sizes of the labels, and position codes corresponding tothe layout positions of the labels, said storage means comprises aposition storage unit for storing a predetermined one of the positioncodes, and said processing means comprise thirty-seventh processingmeans for causing said position storage unit to store the position coderepresenting a printing start position of the label sheet subjected toprinting, thirty-eighth processing means for defining as the printingstart position a layout position designated by the position code storedin said position storage unit, and for sequentially performing printingprocessing on the labels on the basis of the position information andthe size information of the labels arranged on the label sheet,thirty-ninth processing means for specifying the position coderepresenting a printing start position in next printing processing onthe basis of the layout position of a last printed label in the printingprocessing, and fortieth processing means for updating the position codestored in said position storage unit and storing the position codespecified by said thirty-ninth processing means as a new printing startposition in said position storage unit.
 30. An apparatus according toclaim 29, wherein said thirty-seventh processing means automaticallystores a predetermined specific position code in said position storageunit when an unused label sheet is subjected to printing processing. 31.An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said thirty-seventhprocessing means stores a position code arbitrarily input by a user insaid position storage unit.
 32. An apparatus according to claim 4,whereinsaid processing means further comprises registration processingmeans for registering, in said storage means, a combination of thecharacter string information edited by said fifth processing means andthe additional information including label attribute information andadded in accordance with types of label sheets during character editingof the character string information, said registration processing meanscomprising individual registration processing means for combining aninput one piece of the additional information and an input one piece ofthe character string information and registering a combination asindividual registration information in said storage means, batchregistration processing means for combining a plurality of pieces ofsaid character string information and an input one piece of saidadditional information and registering a combination as batchregistration information in said storage means, selection processingmeans for causing said display means to display a selection screen forcausing to alternatively select registration of the character stringinformation by one of said individual registration processing means andsaid batch registration processing means.
 33. An apparatus according toclaim 32, whereinthe additional information includes registrationcharacter data input to identify the character string information storedin correspondence with the additional information, and said processingmeans comprise readout processing means for reading out the registrationinformation registered in said storage means, said readout processingmeans comprising forty-first processing means for causing said displaymeans to display a screen for prompting an input of the registrationcharacter data to be read out, forty-second processing means forsequentially reading out the additional information from said storagemeans and selecting the additional information having the same labelattribute data as that of a currently edited label sheet, andforty-third processing means for selecting the additional information,having the same registration character data as that input by saidforty-first processing means, from the additional information selectedfrom the forty-second processing means.
 34. An apparatus according toclaim 33, whereinthe additional information includes the identificationcode of the label sheet which is set during character editing, and saidreadout processing means further comprises forty-fourth processing meansfor causing said display means to display a screen for prompting aninput of an identification code of a desired label sheet subjected toprinting, forty-fifth processing means for comparing the identificationcode included in the additional information selected by said forty-thirdprocessing means with the identification code input by said forty-fourthprocessing means and determining whether the identification codescoincide with each other, forty-sixth processing means for setting thecharacter string information corresponding to the additional informationselected by said forty-third processing means as character stringinformation to be printed, when said forty-fifth processing meansdetermines that the identification codes coincide with each other, andforty-seventh processing means for causing said second to fourthprocessing means to change the character string information so as to besuitable for the desired label sheet subjected to printing when saidforty-fifth processing means determines that the identification codes donot coincide with each other.
 35. An apparatus according to claim 34,wherein said readout processing means comprises forty-eighth means forcalculating a maximum character count and a maximum line count of acharacter string which can be printed within the printing areadetermined by said second processing means using the character havingthe minimum character size in the character size information, and at thesame time causing said display means to display a message representingthat a character string selected by said forty-third processing meanscannot be loaded when the number of characters of the character stringselected by said forty-third processing means is larger than thecalculated maximum character count or the number of lines of thecharacter string selected by said forty-third processing means is largerthan the maximum line count.
 36. An apparatus according to claim 3,wherein said processing means further comprises character stringoverflow determining means for determining whether a character stringduring editing falls within one line,said character string overflowdetermining means comprising fourteenth processing means for changing anautomatically set character size present in said one line during editinginto a minimum character size in the character size information,fifteenth processing means for adding an overall horizontal length ofthe automatically set character size changed into the minimum charactersize and an overall horizontal length of character sizes arbitrarilyset, and obtaining a character string length of a character stringwithin said one line during editing, and sixteenth processing means foralways comparing the character string length with the horizontal lengthof the printing area, and when the character string length is largerthan the horizontal length of the printing area, displaying a characteroverflow mark between a character string falling within the printingarea and a character string overflowing from the printing area in thecharacter string which is being edited and displayed on said displaymeans.
 37. An apparatus according to claim 36, wherein said processingmeans further comprises line overflow determining means for determiningwhether a character string which is being edited and is input extendingin a plurality of lines falls within the printing area of the label,saidline overflow determining means comprising seventeenth processing meansfor changing an automatically set character size present in each lineduring editing into a minimum character size in the character sizeinformation, eighteenth processing means for extracting a character sizehaving a maximum vertical length from a character string of linesincluding arbitrarily set character sizes and a currently edited line,and for obtaining an overall vertical length of all the lines by addingthe vertical lengths of the extracted character sizes, and nineteenthprocessing means for always comparing the overall vertical length of allthe lines with the vertical length of the printing area, and when theoverall vertical length is larger than the vertical length of theprinting area, for displaying a message representing line overflow onsaid display means.
 38. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein saidprocessing means further comprises character size display means fordisplaying a set character size in an actual size,said character sizedisplay means comprising twentieth processing means for reading out thevertical and horizontal lengths of a character size from the charactersize information of said storage means when a change in the charactersize is designated, and twenty-first processing means for causing saiddisplay means to display a quadrangle corresponding to the readoutvertical and horizontal lengths.
 39. An apparatus according to claim 3,wherein the label information stored in said storage means comprises:alist table in which the vertical and horizontal lengths of the variouslabels are registered, and a reduction table for storing a plurality ofpredefined reference size data for determining reduction magnificationsof the various labels and reduction magnification data for reducing thereference size data into sizes smaller than a longitudinal length ofsaid display means, the plurality of predefined reference size databeing set to correspond to the reduction magnification data,respectively, and said processing means further comprises image displaymeans including twenty-second processing means for, when image displayof a predetermined label is designated, reading out the vertical andhorizontal length data of the predetermined label from said list table,and selecting reduction magnification data corresponding to a longestsize of the reference size data which is smaller than a longer one ofthe readout vertical and horizontal lengths, and twenty-third processingmeans for reducing the vertical and horizontal lengths of thepredetermined label and a character size of a character printed on thepredetermined label on the basis of the reduction magnification selectedby said twenty-second processing means, for displaying the reducedpredetermined label in a form of a quadrangular frame on said displaymeans, and for displaying each character to be printed on saidpredetermined label as a dot pattern having a reduced character size ata position corresponding to an interior of the frame.
 40. An apparatusaccording to claim 39, wherein said image display means furthercomprises twenty-fourth processing means for reversing vertical andhorizontal lengths of the quadrangular frame, for reversing vertical dotdata and horizontal dot data of the dot pattern, and for displaying thereversed dot pattern on said display means when an image is displayed onsaid display means by said image display means and designation forrotating the image through 90° is input.
 41. An apparatus according toclaim 3, wherein said label printing apparatus is an apparatus forperforming printing on a label having two columns, and said processingmeans comprisetwenty-fifth processing means for causing said displaymeans to display a selection screen having a plurality of choicesincluding a choice for selecting whether each character string to beprinted in each of the two columns of said label is an erecting orinverted character string and a choice for selecting whether characterstrings to be printed in the two columns are the same or different,twenty-sixth processing means for displaying an input screen forprompting an input of one type of character string when a predeterminedchoice is made in accordance with designation on the selection screenand the character strings to be printed in the two columns are the sameor an input screen for prompting an input of two types of characterstrings when the predetermined choice is made in accordance with thedesignation on the selection screen and the character strings to beprinted in the two columns are different, and twenty-seventh processingmeans for, when a predetermined character string is input in accordancewith designation on the input screen, executing printing processing onthe label in accordance with selection contents of the predeterminedcharacter string.
 42. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein saidlabel printing apparatus is an apparatus for printing input characterstrings in a label having three columns, respectively, andsaidprocessing means comprise twenty-eighth processing means for causingsaid display means to display a selection screen for selecting a desiredcolumn from all the columns, twenty-ninth processing means for causingsaid display means to display an input screen for prompting an input ofa character string to be printed in a predetermined column when thepredetermined column is selected on the selection screen, and thirtiethprocessing means for executing printing processing of a plurality ofcharacter strings on the label when the plurality of character stringsare input in accordance with designation on the input screen.
 43. Anapparatus according to claim 42, wherein said label printing apparatusis an apparatus for printing input character strings in a label havingthree columns, respectively, andsaid processing means comprisetwenty-eighth processing means for causing said display means to displaya selection screen for selecting a desired column from all the columns,twenty-ninth processing means for causing said display means to displayan input screen for prompting an input of a character string to beprinted in a predetermined column when the predetermined column isselected on the selection screen, and thirtieth processing means forexecuting printing processing of a plurality of character strings on thelabel when the plurality of character strings are input in accordancewith designation on the input screen.
 44. An apparatus according toclaim 3, wherein said label printing apparatus further comprises feedmeans for feeding an inserted label sheet to a printing position inprinting processing and position detecting means for detecting whetherthe label sheet fed by said feed means is set at a position serving as areference for the printing processing, andsaid processing means comprisefeed control means for controlling feeding of the label sheet subjectedto printing, said feed control means comprising thirty-first processingmeans for causing said display means to display a message for promptinga key input for a start of printing to a user after the user completes aprinting setup operation, thirty-second processing means for causingsaid feed means to start feeding the label sheet upon reception of thekey input for the start of printing, and thirty-third processing meansfor reversing a feed direction of the label sheet fed by said feed meanswhen the label sheet is not detected by said position detecting meansupon feeding of the label sheet by a predetermined distance by said feedmeans.
 45. An apparatus according to claim 44, wherein said feed controlmeans further comprises thirty-fourth processing means for causing saiddisplay means to display a message for prompting re-feed of the labelsheet when the feed direction of the label sheet fed by said feed meansis reversed.
 46. An apparatus according to claim 3, whereinthe labelinformation stored in said storage means includes position informationrepresenting layout positions of labels on the various label sheets,size information representing sizes of the labels, and position codescorresponding to the layout positions of the labels, and said processingmeans further comprises thirty-fifth processing means for specifying theposition information of an unnecessary printing label of a plurality oflabels arranged on the label sheet on the basis of an input positioncode when the position code is input to designate a layout position ofthe unnecessary printing label of the labels arranged on the labelsheet, and thirty-sixth processing means for sequentially executingprinting processing of the input character strings on respective labelsexcept for the unnecessary printing label on the basis of the positioninformation specified by said thirty-fifth processing means and theposition information and the size information of the label sheet whichare stored in said storage means.
 47. An apparatus according to claim46, whereinsaid storage means defined in claim 35 comprises a positionstorage unit for storing a predetermined one of the position codes, andsaid processing means comprise thirty-seventh processing means forcausing said position storage unit to store the position coderepresenting a printing start position of the label sheet subjected toprinting, thirty-eighth processing means for defining as the printingstart position a layout position designated by the position code storedin said position storage unit, and for sequentially performing printingprocessing on the labels on the basis of the position information andthe size information of the labels arranged on the label sheet,thirty-ninth processing means for specifying the position coderepresenting a printing start position in next printing processing onthe basis of the layout position of a last printed label in the printingprocessing, and fortieth processing means for updating the position codestored in said position storage unit and storing the position codespecified by said thirty-ninth processing means as a new printing startposition in said position storage unit.
 48. An apparatus according toclaim 47, wherein said thirty-seventh processing means automaticallystores a predetermined specific position code in said position storageunit when an unused label sheet is subjected to printing processing. 49.An apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said thirty-seventhprocessing means stores a position code arbitrarily input by a user insaid position storage unit.
 50. An apparatus according to claim 3,whereinthe label information stored in said storage means includesposition information representing layout positions of labels on thevarious label sheets, size information representing sizes of the labels,and position codes corresponding to the layout positions of the labels,said storage means comprises a position storage unit for storing apredetermined one of the position codes, and said processing meanscomprises thirty-seventh processing means for causing said positionstorage unit to store the position code representing a printing startposition of the label sheet subjected to printing, thirty-eighthprocessing means for defining as the printing start position a layoutposition designated by the position code stored in said position storageunit, and for sequentially performing printing processing on the labelson the basis of the position information and the size information of thelabels arranged on the label sheet, thirty-ninth processing means forspecifying the position code representing a printing start position innext printing processing on the basis of the layout position of a lastprinted label in the printing processing, and fortieth processing meansfor updating the position code stored in said position storage unit andstoring the position code specified by said thirty-ninth processingmeans as a new printing start position in said position storage unit.51. An apparatus according to claim 50, wherein said thirty-seventhprocessing means automatically stores a predetermined specific positioncode in said position storage unit when an unused label sheet issubjected to printing processing.
 52. An apparatus according to claim50, wherein said thirty-seventh processing means stores a position codearbitrarily input by a user in said position storage unit.
 53. Anapparatus according to claim 3, whereinsaid processing means furthercomprise registration processing means for registering, in said storagemeans, a combination of the character string information edited by saidfourth processing means and the additional information including labelattribute information and added in accordance with types of label sheetsduring character editing of the character string information, saidregistration processing means comprising individual registrationprocessing means for combining an input one piece of the additionalinformation and an input one piece of the character string informationand registering a combination as individual registration information insaid storage means, batch registration processing means for combining aplurality of pieces of said character string information and an inputone piece of said additional information and registering a combinationas batch registration information in said storage means, selectionprocessing means for causing said display means to display a selectionscreen for causing to alternatively select registration of the characterstring information by one of said individual registration processingmeans and said batch registration processing means.
 54. An apparatusaccording to claim 53, whereinthe additional information defined inclaim 49 includes registration character data input to identify thecharacter string information stored in correspondence with theadditional information, and said processing means comprise readoutprocessing means for reading out the registration information registeredin said storage means, said readout processing means comprisingforty-first processing means for causing said display means to display ascreen for prompting an input of the registration character data to beread out, forty-second processing means for sequentially reading out theadditional information from said storage means and selecting theadditional information having the same label attribute data as that of acurrently edited label sheet, and forty-third processing means forselecting the additional information, having the same registrationcharacter data as that input by said forty-first processing means, fromthe additional information selected from the forty-second processingmeans.
 55. An apparatus according to claim 54, whereinthe additionalinformation includes the identification code of the label sheet which isset during character editing, and said readout processing means furthercomprises forty-fourth processing means for causing said display meansto display a screen for prompting an input of an identification code ofa desired label sheet subjected to printing, forty-fifth processingmeans for comparing the identification code included in the additionalinformation selected by said forty-third processing means with theidentification code input by said forty-fourth processing means anddetermining whether the identification codes coincide with each other,forty-sixth processing means for setting the character stringinformation corresponding to the additional information selected by saidforty-third processing means as character string information to beprinted, when said forty-fifth processing means determines that theidentification codes coincide with each other, and forty-seventhprocessing means for causing said second to fourth processing means tochange the character string information so as to be suitable for thedesired label sheet subjected to printing when said forty-fifthprocessing means determines that the identification codes do notcoincide with each other.
 56. An apparatus according to claim 55,wherein said readout processing means comprises forty-eighth means forcalculating a maximum character count and a maximum line count of acharacter string which can be printed within the printing areadetermined by said second processing means using the character havingthe minimum character size in the character size information, and at thesame time causing said display means to display a message representingthat a character string selected by said forty-third processing meanscannot be loaded when the number of characters of the character stringselected by said forty-third processing means is larger than thecalculated maximum character count or the number of lines of thecharacter string selected by said forty-third processing means is largerthan the maximum line count.